TERDAY 


RTRUDE  R.HANCE 


f 


.•'.2./<$' 


^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  *'/^ 


Purphased   by  the    Hamill    Missionary   Fund. 


GERTRUDE    R.    HANCE 


THE  ZULU  YESTERDAY 
AND  TO-DAY 

Twenty-nine  Years  in  South  Afnca 


BY 

GERTRUDE  R.  HANCE 


ILLUSTRATED 


New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming    H.    Revell    Company 

London  and  Edinburgh 


Copyright,  1916,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  17  N.  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto :  25  Richmond  St.,  W. 
London :  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:     100    Princes    Street 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  charm  about  Africa  lies  in  what  we  do 
not  know  about  it;  and  it  seems  to  be  true 
that  the  more  we  learn  of  that  mysterious 
country,  the  more  intense  becomes  our  interest  in 
it  and  in  its  people.  Always  there  remains  some- 
thing we  do  not  know,  so  that  an  almost  unaccount- 
able fascination  lingers  about  a  new  book  dealing 
with  this  subject. 

The  author  of  the  present  work  writes  from  the 
vantage  ground  of  a  personal  knowledge  of  Africa, 
covering  a  period  of  well-nigh  thirty  years.  Urged 
by  an  impulse  scarcely  to  be  accounted  for,  save 
that  it  was  the  direct  leading  of  God,  Miss  Hance, 
in  early  life,  gave  herself  to  service  in  the  Mission 
Field,  little  dreaming  that  she  would  be  assigned  to 
the  Dark  Continent,  and,  as  she  herself  tells  us, 
shrinking  at  first  from  the  call  when  it  came  to  go 
to  this,  to  her  then  almost  unknown,  and  entirely 
forbidding  territory.  With  a  courage  born  of  love 
for  her  fellow  men,  however,  she  responded  to  the 
summons;  and  the^e,  away  beyond  the  heart  of 
Africa,  in  the  land  of  the  Zulus,  she  yielded  the 
very  best  there  was  in  her  to  the  work  of  carrying 
the  Gospel  Light  to  the  people  of  that  country, 
soon  coming  to  love  them  more  and  more,  the  better 
she  knew  them,  so  that  her  very  soul  was  wrapped 
up  in  her  service. 

6 


6  INTRODUCTION 

Now,  in  a  charmingly  simple  way,  she  tells  the 
story  of  these  years  of  victory  in  that  far-off  field. 
Others  have  written  entertainingly  of  the  history  of 
Africa;  we  have  many  books  descriptive  of  the 
scenery  and  the  various  points  of  interest  of  that 
vast  continent.  Miss  Hance  gives  us  something  of 
these  things,  but  she  gives  us  more.  Her  great  pur- 
pose, whether  consciously  or  not,  does  not  so  much 
matter,  is  to  reveal  to  us  the  heart-life  of  the  people 
of  Africa ;  to  show  us  what  a  strong,  earnest,  sincere 
man  the  African  is,  even  before  the  light  of  Chris- 
tianity shines  across  his  pathway,  and  to  help  us 
to  know  of  what  he  is  capable  when  his  life  has  been 
touched  by  that  revivifying  power.  In  doing  this 
she  proves  herself  to  be  more  than  a  missionary ; 
she  is  to  the  people  with  whom  she  comes  in  contact 
a  true,  warm-hearted  friend,  always  seeking  to  help, 
to  cheer  and  to  guide  out  into  better  things. 

In  drawing  back  the  curtain  revealing  to  us  the 
inner  life  of  the  African,  the  author  shows  us  how 
very  little  there  is  in  his  nature  which  enables  him 
to  grasp  the  thought  that  he  is  a  part  of  God's  great 
world,  which  He  loves  and  for  which  He  cares ; 
indeed,  how  almost  incomprehensible  to  him  is  the 
idea  of  a  Supreme  Being  at  all,  and  how  difficult  it 
is  to  bring  him  to  a  knowledge  of  this  great  truth ; 
but  she  also  shows  us  that  once  the  African  does 
grasp  the  fact  of  God,  as  made  manifest  in  the 
person  of  His  Son,  and  the  purpose  of  His  plan  for 
all  the  world,  as  disclosed  in  the  Sacred  Book,  he 
becomes  the  most  earnest,  devout,  and  consistent  of 
Christians. 


INTRODUCTION  7 

It  is  to  tell  us  something  of  this  brighter  side  of 
the  hfe  of  the  man  of  Africa  that  the  writer  devotes 
her  best  endeavor,  fully  believing  that  if  she  can  do 
this,  others  will  come  to  see  the  man  of  the  dark  skin 
and  the  white  soul  as  she  herself  sees  him,  and  that 
so  she  will  awaken  on  the  part  of  fair-minded  people 
a  determination  to  think  more  frequently  of  the 
African,  to  pray  for  him  more  earnestly  and  to  give 
more  freely  of  sympathy  and  substance  to  the  great 
cause  of  his  uplifting. 

Edgar  L.  Vincent, 


CONTENTS 


Preface         .       .       .       .       .       .  ii 

I.    Knocking  at  the  Door     ...  13 

II.    Natal 24 

III.  The    Zulus    and    Their    White 

Neighbours 34 

IV.  The  First  American  Missionaries 

TO  South  Africa     ....  42 

V.     Entering  the  Work  ....  52 

VI.     Kraal  Women 58 

VII.     Unomqawe     and     Other     Kraal 

Women 66 

VIII.     Basutoland 76 

IX.     The  Zulu  Boy,  Velemu    ...  96 

X.    Umvoti 104 

XI.      HOBEANA 116 

XII.     Huguenot  College — Other  Noted 

Events  and  People  .        .       .        .129 

XIII.  Incorrect  Impressions       .       ,       .  142 

XIV.  Jubilee    Meeting    and    Visit    to 

America 156 

XV.     Return  to  Natal  and  Changes      .  165 
XVI.     The  Native  Chiefs  and  Meeting 

TO  Call  a  Pastor     .       .       .       .185 

XVII.     PiNDiLE 194 

XVIII.     The  Native  Pastor    ....  203 

XIX.     Sunshine  and  Shadow     .       .       .  215 
XX.     Esidumbini     Rocks     and     Other 

Stories 231 

XXI.       NOHAULA  AND  UmASKU         .          .          .  242 

XXII.     The  Leader  of  the  Choir  .       .        .  253 

XXIII.     Return  to  America    .       .      ,.      ,.  259 

9 


PREFACE 

OUT  of  the  harbour !  Setting  toward  the  open 
sea !  The  clank  and  clatter  of  chains  and 
the  thump  of  heavy  hawsers  are  still !  The 
clang  of  bells,  the  dull,  half-smothered  notes  of  whis- 
tles no  longer  break  on  the  ear!  The  last  farewells 
have  been  spoken !  We  are  beyond  the  reach  of 
clinging  hands !  Love  signals  of  white  no  longer 
come  to  us  fluttering  across  the  ever-widening  stretch 
of  ocean  wave !  Out  and  away  on  the  long  voyage — 
toward  what?  Behind,  home,  dear  ones,  beloved 
America !  Here,  spirits  hushed,  lips  for  the  time 
silent,  hearts  crowded  to  the  full  with  the  tug  of 
parting!  Yonder,  uncertainty,  expectation,  Africa, 
with  its  door  of  opportunity !  Yes,  its  door,  and  its 
heart ;  for  we  feel  that  the  mighty  continent  which 
now  lies  beyond  the  reach  of  our  vision  has  a  door 
and  a  heart,  warm,  passionate,  full  of  longing  for 
something,  it  knows  not  what!  May  we  find  that 
door  open,  or  if  shut,  may  it  be  given  to  us  with  our 
feeble  fingers  to  push  it  open,  if  ever  so  little,  that 
Light  and  Truth  may  enter  in !  May  we  touch, 
though  it  be  but  lightly,  the  waiting,  longing,  groping 
heart  of  Africa  for  good!  So  we  turn  away  from 
home,  away  from  the  fading  shore-line  of  Christian 
America,  to  the  mysteries  of  the  Dark  Continent ! 

G.  R.  H. 

BiNGHAMTON,  N.  Y. 

11 


KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR 

WHEN  I  went  out  of  the  New  York  Har- 
bour on  my  way  to  Natal,  South  Africa,  I 
was  under  appointment  to  the  foreign  field 
by  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  For- 
eign Missions,  or,  as  it  is  usually  known,  the  Amer- 
ican Board.  At  that  time  this  Board  represented 
the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  Societies,  but 
at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  joint  Societies  held  in 
the  fall  of  that  year,  the  Presbyterians  withdrew  and 
organized  a  Board  under  their  own  control,  while 
the  Congregationalists  retained  the  original  name, 
the   American    Board. 

As  there  is  always  more  or  less  interest  in  the 
reasons  which  lead  those  who  enlist  for  service  in 
the  foreign  field  to  take  such  action,  and  as  I  have 
been  so  many  times  asked  why  I  did  so,  I  may  be 
pardoned  for  stating,  as  briefly  as  I  can,  the  mo- 
tives which  inspired  me  to  go  as  a  missionary  to 
Africa. 

I  was  about  ten  years  of  age  when  Dr.  Scudder's 
book  on  India,  written  especially  for  children,  was 
given  me  by  a  married  sister,  who  died  not  long 
afterward.  Before  reading  this  I  had  heard  very 
little  about  people  of  other  lands  who  did  not  know 
of  God. 

13 


14        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

From  a  child  I  had  gone  to  Sunday  School  and 
church,  yet  in  those  early  days  until  I  was  nearly 
grown  to  womanhood,  I  have  no  recollection  of  ever 
hearing  a  sermon  or  remarks,  in  the  pulpit,  on  for- 
eign missions.  Dr.  Scudder's  book  made  a  never-to- 
be-forgotten  impression  on  my  mind.  I  dreamed  and 
thought  much  about  it,  wondering  if  when  I  were 
grown  up,  educated  and  good,  I  could  go  and  teach 
those  people  of  the  love  of  God  and  of  Jesus  Christ, 
who  came  to  the  world  to  bless  and  save  all  who 
trust  and  follow  Him. 

Although  I  sometimes  talked  of  these  things  in  my 
home,  yet  I  felt  afraid  to  have  any  one  know  how 
full  my  heart  was  of  the  subject,  or  of  what  I  was 
really  thinking.  I  often  prayed  when  by  myself, 
hoping  that  "  some  day "  I  might  become  a  real 
Christian.  I  was  full  of  life  and  frequently  realized 
that  I  had  not  been  good,  also  that  I  sometimes  ap- 
peared to  others  as  if  I  did  not  care  to  be;  still  I 
longed  and  prayed  for  strength  greater  than  my  own 
to  guide  and  keep  me. 

I  tried  to  get  books  on  missions,  but  they  were 
scarce  and  difficult  for  me  to  obtain.  As  I  grew  older 
there  were  difficulties  too,  in  the  way  of  my  getting 
an  education. 

From  early  childhood  I  had  been  a  great  reader 
and  for  a  number  of  years  was  much  helped  about 
making  a  choice  in  my  reading  and  studies,  by  a 
cousin  who  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  and  a  lawyer. 

I  went  to  Harford  Academy,  for  a  year,  and 
then  at  the  age  of  sixteen  began  to  teach  school. 
After  that  I  taught,  studied,  and  went  to  school  as 


KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR  15 

best  I  could.  When  about  eighteen  years  of  age  I 
united  with  the  church.  That  year  I  heard  for  the 
first  time,  an  address  on  missions.  It  was  given  by 
a  lady  from  China.  I  was  greatly  interested  and 
the  pent-up  feelings  of  my  heart  were  so  strong,  I 
could  not  keep  the  tears  from  my  eyes.  After  the 
meeting  I  slipped  away  and  spoke  only  to  God,  of 
my  thoughts  and  desires.  However,  a  few  weeks 
afterward  I  talked  more  definitely  with  my  mother 
than  I  ever  had  before,  of  my  wish  to  become  a 
foreign  missionary.  I  feel  that  I  owe  much  to  her 
influence,  but  this  idea  of  mine  was  so  strange  and 
unreasonable  to  her  I  saw  she  did  not  understand 
me,  but  thought  I  had  a  dreamy  and  unpractical 
fancy.  There  seemed  to  be  no  human  being  to  whom 
I  could  freely  talk  on  this  subject,  or  look  to  for 
help.  Sometimes  I  lost  heart ;  a  complication  of  dis- 
couragements and  difficulties  made  me  frequently 
feel  that  perhaps  I  ought  to  give  up  all  thought  of 
what  I  wished  to  do.  For  nearly  two  years  I  avoided 
reading  anything  on  missions  or  seeking  to  keep  up 
my  interest  in  them.  But  I  could  not  get  away  from 
the  feeling  that  God  was  leading  me  to  see  more 
clearly  what  He  would  have  me  do  and  that  I  must 
follow  in  His  light,  or  give  up  my  religion. 

When  over  twenty  years  of  age  I  went  to  Dr. 
G.  N.  Boardman,  who  was  then  pastor  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Binghamton,  N.  Y.  He 
was  an  able  and  distinguished  man.  I  told  him,  as 
well  as  I  could,  of  my  wish  to  be  a  missionary. 

As  I  think  of  it  now,  I  am  amazed  that  under 
all  the  circumstances,  I  had  the  courage  to  do  this. 


16        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

It  came  as  a  great  surprise  to  him,  although  he  had 
known  me  for  some  time.  I  was  then  an  attendant 
at  his  church  and  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday  School. 
He  always  seemed  to  look  at  a  subject  in  a  very  care- 
ful and  deliberate  way.  After  quite  a  long  talk  he 
spoke  the  first  words  of  real  encouragement  that  I 
had  received  from  any  one,  about  my  going.  I 
cannot  express  the  comfort  they  gave  me,  with  the 
feeling  that  at  least  one  person  whose  goodness  and 
wisdom  I  respected,  understood  me  and  my  wish. 
More  than  three  years  later,  I  had  a  position  as 
teacher  in  an  Orphans'  Home  at  Binghamton,  N.  Y. 
Circumstances,  after  a  time,  made  it  necessary  for 
me  to  take  the  entire  charge  of  the  institution,  as 
the  superintendent  had  been  dismissed  and  another 
could  not  be  found.  Within  a  few  months  it  was 
taken  over  by  the  State  and  the  committee  urged  me 
to  accept  permanently  the  position  I  then  held.  I 
was  happy  in  the  work ;  the  thought  that  I  could  man- 
age such  an  institution  encouraged  me  to  feel  that 
I  might  be  successful  as  a  missionary.  Still  desiring 
to  be  one,  I  wrote  the  A.B.C.F.M.  in  Boston  regard- 
ing this  wish,  and  again  sought  the  advice  of  Dr. 
Boardman,  of  whose  church  I  was  then  a  mem- 
ber, urging  him  to  tell  me  plainly  if  he  thought 
I  was  mistaken.  "  No,"  said  he,  "  I  do  not  think 
you  are  mistaken,  but  it  is  difficult  for  me  to  see 
how  you  can  give  up  the  position  of  usefulness  which 
you  now  have  here  and  which  you  are  filling  so  well, 
with  many  friends  to  stand  by  you,  and  go  to  a  new 
and  more  difficult  field.  I  could  not  be  a  foreign 
missionary,  yet  I  believe  it  is  God's  call  to  you." 


KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR  17 

From  that  time  to  the  present,  no  matter  what  the 
discouragements  were,  at  home  or  in  the  mission 
field,  I  have  never  doubted  but  that  it  was  God's 
call  to  me,  unworthy  though  I  was  for  such  an  un- 
dertaking. 

Having  obtained  a  reluctant  consent  from  my 
parents,  I  had  further  correspondence  with  the  Mis- 
sion Board.  Dr.  N.  G.  Clark,  its  secretary,  a  class- 
mate of  Dr.  Boardman,  came  on  from  Boston  to 
see  me,  and  in  due  time  I  received  my  appointment. 

The  missions  in  various  countries  where  work  was 
being  done  by  the  American  Board,  when  divided, 
as  before  mentioned,  left  members  of  each  denomi- 
nation in  all  the  fields,  when  the  Presbyterians  formed 
their  separate  board.  This  caused  no  friction  what- 
ever, as  sectarianism  has  little  weight  in  our  foreign 
work.  The  Zulu  Mission  was  one  of  those  allotted 
to  the  Congregationalists.  Before  this  separation  had 
been  efifected,  I  had  written  the  Board  offering  my- 
self for  work  where  I  might  be  most  needed,  with 
no  thought  of  the  Zulus  or  Africa.  When  this  field 
was  first  proposed  to  me,  I  felt  unwilling  to  go  there. 
I  knew  very  little  about  the  coloured  people,  and  did 
not  quite  like  them.  As  I  thought  and  earnestly  asked 
guidance,  while  learning  more  of  the  Zulus  and  their 
land,  I  became  much  interested,  and  my  prejudices 
melted  away.  I  shall  always  be  thankful  I  went 
there. 

The  need  at  the  Orphans'  Home  was  great.  The 
committee  urged  me  to  allow  them  to  write  to  the 
Board  and  asked  their  permission  for  me  to  delay  a 
year  before  going  out,  on  account  of  the  circum- 


18        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

stances  which  seemed  almost  to  compel  me  to  stay 
at  the  Home.  The  Board  did  not  deem  it  best  for 
me  to  do  that.  However,  I  did  not  get  away  from 
there  until  within  a  month  of  the  time  of  my  leaving 
America. 

My  sister  Frances  was  with  me  until  I  sailed. 
Her  sympathy  and  interest  in  my  going  and  in  my 
work  after  I  reached  Africa,  with  her  frequent  let- 
ters, were  a  source  of  great  comfort  and  encourage- 
ment to  me  all  the  years  I  was  there. 

On  board  ship  we  were  a  party  of  four.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wilder,  who  were  leaving  their  only  son  and 
daughter  in  America,  as  they  returned  to  their  mis- 
sion home,  where  they  had  lived  for  many  years 
before  visiting  their  native  land.  Miss  Laura  Day 
and  I  were  both  going  out  for  the  first  time.  I  could 
half  forget  my  own  loneliness  and  sadness  at  leaving 
friends  and  native  land,  as  I  saw  those  parents  and 
children  bravely  bidding  each  other  farewell,  when 
I  knew  their  hearts  were  almost  breaking.  Both  of 
those  children  became  missionaries,  one  in  India  and 
the  other  in  South  Africa. 

We  went  by  way  of  England.  After  spending  a 
few  very  pleasant  days  there  we  took  a  steamer 
from  Southampton  for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  called 
at  the  beautiful  island  of  Madeira  and  at  St.  Helena, 
but  did  not  see  the  coast  of  Africa  until  we  reached 
the  Cape,  with  its  wonderful  Table  Mountain  stand- 
ing out,  back  of  the  harbour  and  city.  During  the 
voyage  a  frequent  subject  of  conversation  was  Dr. 
David  Livingstone,  the  great  African  explorer  as 
well  as  missionary,  and  Mr.  Henry  M.  Stanley,  who 


KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR  19 

had  gone  in  search  of  him.  Nothing  had  been  heard 
of  either  of  them  for  a  very  long  time.  A  majority 
of  the  passengers  were  quite  positive  in  the  behef 
that  they  could  not  be  living. 

The  American  consul  and  one  other  friend  met  us, 
and  took  us  to  their  comfortable,  pleasant  homes, 
where  we  spent  a  number  of  days.  Cape  Town  was 
settled  by  the  Dutch  when  New  York  was  still  called 
New  Amsterdam.  It  was  a  much  more  interesting 
city  than  I  had  thought  it  could  be.  There  were 
many  fine  residences,  large,  well-built  public  build- 
ings, schools,  churches,  museum  and  a  large  old 
library  of  nearly  fifty  thousand  volumes,  with  many 
rare  and  valuable  books.  It  was  established  in  1818. 
There  were  beautiful  drives  over  macadam  roads  in 
a  number  of  directions  and  many  vineyards,  includ- 
ing the  extensive  "  Constantias,"  where  that  noted 
wine  is  made,  but  we  saw  little  of  "  Afric's  sunny 
sands." 

The  people  were  mostly  English,  Dutch,  Malays, 
and  Hottentots.  The  latter's  allies,  the  Bushmen,  used 
to  be  numerous  there,  but  are  now  nearly  extinct, 
owing  to  their  having  been  pushed  farther  inland 
by  civilization  and  the  loss  of  many  of  their  people 
by  war  and  disease.  They  are  pigmies  in  size,  with 
bright,  sparkling  eyes  that  have  astonishing  power 
of  seeing  long  distances,  and  were  great  hunters 
with  bows  and  arrows.  Their  arrows  were  made 
of  reeds  pointed  with  bone,  which  was  coated  with 
a  deadly  poison.  They  made  pits  for  trapping  game 
and  poisoned  pools  of  water  where  animals  drank 
and  perished.     They  were  treacherous,  warlike,  and 


20        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

at  variance  with  all  other  tribes.  They  often  lived 
in  caves  and  in  frailly  built  huts. 

The  Hottentots  were  frequently  to  be  found  living 
not  far  from  them,  yet  never  together.  Their  hatred 
of  each  other  in  many  cases  was  inveterate,  but  they 
often  united  in  fighting  other  tribes  and  the  Boers. 

The  Bushmen  are  considered  the  most  uninterest- 
ing, degraded,  and  low  of  all  South  African  tribes, 
yet  they  were  in  advance  of  others  in  one  respect ; 
being  artists  with  a  peculiar  knowledge  of  dyes  that 
were  practically  indelible.  High  up  on  the  rocks 
and  cliffs,  near  the  places  where  it  is  known  they 
must  have  lived  for  hundreds  of  years,  may  now 
be  seen  carefully  made  hieroglyphics,  pictures  true 
to  life  of  people  and  various  animals  with  which 
they  were  acquainted.  When  the  human  form  was 
delineated  a  sort  of  ochre  and  chocolate  colour  was 
used.  Besides  hunting  scenes  and  animals,  there 
are  squares,  circles,  and  crosses,  with  other  strange 
marks.  They  are  often  found  at  a  height  very  diffi- 
cult to  reach  and  are  so  indelible  that  no  storm  or 
time  has  dimmed  them,  where  undoubtedly  they  were 
painted  by  Bushmen,  hundreds  of  years  ago. 

Archaeologists  have  tried  to  decipher  them,  but  up 
to  the  present  time  have  been  unable  to  do  so.  The 
Bushmen  can  give  no  light  in  regard  to  them,  but 
still  know  how  to  make  some  of  those  wonderful 
dyes. 

The  first  missionary  to  South  Africa  landed  at  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope  in  1739.  His  name  was  Schmidt. 
He  came  from  Moravia,  in  Northern  Austria,  the 
land  of  John  Huss  and  Count  Zinzendorf,  a  land 


KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR  21 

that  has  sent  out  some  of  the  most  noble  and  self- 
sacrificing  missionaries  the  world  has  ever  known, 
within  the  last  two  hundred  years.  At  that  time  the 
East  India  Company  was  in  full  terrorizing  control 
at  the  Cape,  and  no  missionary  was  welcomed  by  it, 
or  the  Dutch  colonists.  So  that  quiet,  earnest  Chris- 
tian man  went  inland  and  remained  for  six  years 
alone  with  the  uncivilized  Hottentots,  when  the  East 
India  Company  told  him  he  must  leave,  as  they  and 
the  white  settlers  would  not  allow  the  natives  to  be 
taught  or  baptized. 

In  the  six  years  of  his  work  a  few  of  the  natives, 
about  forty,  had  learned  to  read  the  Dutch  Bible. 
Some  of  them  had  learned  to  speak  that  language 
before  and  he  taught  them  as  best  he  could,  of  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  Sadly  he  left,  and  for 
many  years,  as  long  as  he  lived,  he  daily  prayed  that 
the  time  might  come  when  missionaries  could  go 
there  and  teach  the  gospel  to  the  people. 

Through  the  influence  of  a  few  gentlemen  in  Hol- 
land, the  Moravian  Society,  after  forty  years'  waiting, 
was  again  allowed  to  send  missionaries  to  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope.  On  reaching  there,  while  permitted 
to  remain,  yet  they  were  greatly  restricted  in  their 
work  for  the  natives  by  the  government,  as  well  as 
by  the  colonists. 

They  heard  that  an  old  blind  Hottentot  woman 
was  still  living,  who  had  been  taught  by  the  mis- 
sionary, Schmidt,  and  that  she  very  much  wished  to 
see  them.  It  was  quite  a  distance  inland  where  they 
found  her,  living  at  the  place  where  she  had 
been  told  of  God  by  him.    That  place  is  now  called 


22        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

Genadendal,  and  is  one  of  the  largest  German  mis- 
sion stations  in  South  Africa,  as  those  new  mission- 
aries at  once  began  work  there.  They  found  the 
woman  old,  feeble,  and  quite  blind.  When  the  mis- 
sionary Schmidt  was  driven  away  he  gave  her  a 
Dutch  Bible  which  he  had  taught  her  to  read.  He 
told  her  to  keep  on  reading  and  teaching  others  of 
its  good  news  to  them.  The  truth  seems  to  have 
gotten  into  her  heart.  She  and  the  others  had  kept 
up  a  little  service,  reading  from  her  precious  Bible, 
and  teaching  her  own  family  and  neighbours  what 
she  could. 

Her  joy  when  the  new  missionaries  visited  her  was 
great.  Soon  after  they  arrived  she  went  to  the 
back  part  of  her  hut,  and  from  a  box  took  a  bit  of 
sheepskin,  in  which  was  wrapped  her  Bible.  With 
it  she  had  taught  her  children,  her  grandchildren  and 
some  others  to  read.  Although  she  was  blind,  yet 
from  it  she  still  heard  the  word  of  God,  as  a  grand- 
daughter read  it  to  her. 

After  her  death  the  missionaries  made  a  neat 
little  box  of  camphor  wood,  with  a  glass  top,  for 
the  Bible,  where  it  is  kept  in  the  large  church  at  the 
station. 

There  was  slavery  in  the  Cape  Colony  for  nearly 
two  hundred  years.  Not  only  were  some  of  the 
natives  living  there  enslaved,  but  people  were  brought 
and  enslaved  from  Angola,  Madagascar,  and  other 
places.  In  1833  the  English  government,  then  being 
in  power,  abolished  it.  Over  thirty-five  thousand 
slaves  were  set  free,  much  against  the  wishes  and 
bitter  opposition  of  the  Boers. 


KNOCKING  AT  THE  DOOR  23 

The  slave  holders  were  partly  compensated,  twenty 
million  pounds  sterling,  three-fourths  of  the  value  of 
the  slaves,  being  paid  them  by  the  government,  but 
the  bitterness  for  that  act  of  liberation  is  still  felt 
in  the  minds  of  some  of  the  Boers,  who  trek  inland 
to  find  what  they  call  liberty  for  themselves  with 
plenty  of  land. 

A  native  by  the  name  of  Jager  Afrikaner,  the  de- 
scendant of  a  line  of  Hottentot  chieftains,  driven  to 
fury  by  slavery,  ill-treatment,  and  persecution,  rose 
against  his  master,  murdered  him,  and  took  posses- 
sion of  guns  that  were  in  the  house.  He  then  raised 
a  band  of  followers,  with  whom  he  fled  inland  and 
finally  settled  in  Namaqualand,  where  he  became  a 
terror  to  neighbouring  tribes  in  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try, as  well  as  to  the  Boer  farmers.  At  length  he 
was  conquered,  not  by  guns  or  cruelty,  but  by  the 
influence  of  Dr.  Mofifat,  one  of  the  those  early  mis- 
sionaries who  taught  him  of  the  Great  Conqueror 
of  mankind,  Jesus  Christ.  He  became  gentle  and 
kind,  under  the  new  name  of  Christian  Afrikaner, 
a  staunch  friend  and  supporter  of  mission  work  in 
that  part  of  the  country,  as  long  as  he  lived. 


n 

NATAL 

AFTER  our  stay  in  Cape  Town  we  took  the 
steamer  for  Natal.  It  does  not  look  very  far 
on  the  map,  but  is  a  thousand  miles.  The 
passage  is  usually  rough  and  often  the  waves  are 
very  high.  We  were  frequently  in  sight  of  the  coast, 
with  its  green  hills  and  trees.  We  called  at  two  or 
three  ports  where  were  quite  large,  and  some  old 
towns,  of  English  and  Dutch  settlers.  Inland  the 
country  is  well  settled  for  many  miles ;  there,  too, 
are  larger  towns  than  on  the  coast. 

One  pleasant  afternoon,  when  not  many  miles 
from  Port  Elizabeth  and  the  shore,  we  saw  very 
plainly  a  beautiful  mirage.  It  appeared  quite  sud- 
denly at  a  time  when  many  of  the  passengers  were 
sitting  on  deck.  I  had  never  seen  anything  of  the 
kind  before.  It  was  indeed  very  wonderful  and 
looked  like  a  great  city,  with  domes,  spires,  large  and 
small  buildings  reflected  in  the  sky  a  little  above  the 
horizon,  out  to  sea.  Around  and  back  of  it  was  a 
hazy  sunlit  cloud.  It  remained  five  or  ten  minutes, 
then  slowly  faded  away. 

Many  years  afterward  I  saw  another  mirage,  when 
travelling  in  Natal,  at  least  ten  miles  from  the  sea. 
It  was  early  morning,  with  the  sun  near  rising,  the 
country  all  about  was  green  with  grass  and  trees, 
there  was  a  slight  haze  in  the  long  stretch  of  valley 

24 


NATAL  25 

just  below  us.  We  were  on  quite  a  hill,  with  a 
winding  road  of  nearly  a  mile  to  its  foot.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  and  picturesque  places  in  that 
part  of  the  country.  There  is  no  large  city  nearer 
than  thirty-five  miles.  To  the  south  and  east  of  us, 
above  the  horizon  and  the  haze,  suddenly  appeared 
a  very  clear  and  even  more  beautiful  mirage  than  the 
first  one  I  had  seen  when  on  board  the  ship.  It  was 
fairyland,  but  very  real  with  its  domes  and  spires, 
houses,  parks,  and  trees.  We  almost  held  our  breath 
watching  it,  for  the  few  moments,  until  the  sun  came 
up  and  it  faded  away. 

The  early  mornings  in  Natal  are  usually  so  much 
more  pleasant  and  cooler  than  other  parts  of  the 
day,  I  always  enjoyed  travelling  at  that  time.  The 
chattering  monkeys  in  the  bushes  near,  the  cooing 
wild  doves,  the  beautiful  birds,  though  not  many  of 
them  songsters,  the  startled  deer,  the  fragrance  in  the 
air,  the  variety  of  dew-laden  flowers  and  the  mag- 
nificent sunrises,  all  lent  a  restful  charm  to  wagon 
travelling  in  South  Africa. 

The  sky  was  bright  and  the  day  pleasant,  when 
we  landed  in  beautiful,  sunny  Natal,  with  its  green 
hills,  fine  trees,  and  rivers.  It,  together  with  Zululand, 
is  larger  than  the  State  of  New  York.  The  land  is 
fertile  and  well-watered ;  also  well-wooded  in  many 
parts,  some  of  the  trees  are  very  large  and  beautiful. 
Though  always  green,  yet  they  are  not  at  all  like 
evergreen  trees  in  America,  the  leaves  being  more 
like  the  orange  or  laurel  leaf.  The  foliage  is  thick 
so  that  one  may  feel  quite  sheltered  from  a  shower 
of  rain.    The  climate  is  much  like  that  of  Florida. 


26        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

Durban,  the  sea-port  town,  then  had  a  population 
of  about  three  thousand  white  people,  mostly  Eng- 
lish ;  now  it  has  grown  so  that  it  numbers  more  than 
80,000  souls. 

Even  in  those  days  there  were  some  good  public 
buildings,  with  stores,  schools,  churches,  and  private 
residences;  also  a  beautiful  botanical  garden.  The 
town  extended  back  onto  a  low,  green,  well-wooded 
hill  that  overlooks  the  bay  and  has  become  the  resi- 
dential part  of  the  present  large,  fine,  well-kept  city. 
This  upper  section  is  called  Berea,  so  named  by 
Captain  Allan  F.  Gardner,  who  was  the  first  mis- 
sionary to  the  Zulus.  He  left  the  English  navy  and 
a  few  years  after,  at  the  age  of  forty,  went  to  Natal 
in  1835,  a  year  before  our  missionaries  from  America 
reached  there.  Owing  to  the  unsettled  state  of  the 
country  and  having  no  knowledge  of  the  native  lan- 
guage or  books  to  aid  him  in  mission  work,  he  could 
do  very  little,  so,  after  two  or  three  years,  returned 
tO'  England. 

His  subsequent  career  as  a  missionary  to  Pata- 
gonia, where  he,  with  six  of  his  companions,  starved 
to  death  on  that  barren  coast,  is  well-known  to  the 
Christian  world  and  many  others.  He  went  against 
the  judgment  of  wise  friends  and  risked  too  much 
in  going  to  a  wild,  unfriendly  people,  where  he  had 
no  means  of  procuring  supplies  or  of  getting  away. 
As  Jesus  before  had  shown,  stones  were  not  miracu- 
lously made  into  bread.  However,  he  was  a  noble 
Christian  gentleman  and  his  heroism  has  been  an 
inspiration  to  many. 

Zulus,   in  their  native   dress  and  blankets,  were 


NATAL  27 

to  be  seen  on  the  streets  of  the  town  as  we  passed 
along.  Transport  was  carried  on  with  large  wagons, 
that  would  take  three  or  four  tons  at  a  load  and  were 
drawn  by  sixteen  or  twenty  oxen.  The  missionaries 
had  smaller  wagons,  carrying  about  a  ton  and  so 
fitted  up  that  they  could  travel,  and  if  necessary,  sleep 
in  them.  There  were  few  who  did  not  learn  to  ride 
on  horseback. 

The  yoke  for  South  African  oxen  is  a  round, 
straight  piece  of  wood  which  rests  on  the  neck,  with 
four  holes,  two  for  each  ox,  in  which  flat  pieces  of 
smooth,  hard  wood  about  a  foot  long,  are  put ;  leather 
straps  are  fastened  in  notches  to  the  lower  part  of 
these,  extending  underneath  the  neck  from  side  to 
side.  A  long  chain  is  attached  to  the  pole  of  the 
wagon  and  then  to  a  ring  in  the  middle  of  each  yoke. 

After  spending  three  or  four  days  in  Durban,  meet- 
ing a  number  of  English  and  some  missionary  friends, 
Mr.  Lindley  and  his  eldest  daughter,  came  from  their 
Inanda  station,  fifteen  miles  inland,  to  take  me  to 
their  home. 

There  were  at  that  time  three  miles  of  railway 
in  Natal,  and  perhaps  not  a  hundred  in  all 
Africa;  now  there  are  ten  thousand  miles  in  South 
Africa  alone.  We  went  on  the  little  railway  to  the 
place  where  we  found  their  oxen  and  wagon  out- 
spanned  waiting  for  us.  Soon  we  and  our  luggage 
were  packed  away,  the  oxen  were  inspanned,  the 
driver  cracked  his  long  whip  in  the  air,  called  some 
of  the  oxen  by  their  names,  and  we  began  to  move. 
It  was  all  so  new,  wild,  and  strange !  The  half  naked 
driver,  as  he  then  appeared  to  me,  the  leader  boy  in 


28        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

similar  dress,  who  held  a  strap  tied  to  the  horns  of 
the  two  front  oxen;  then  there  was  a  boy  behind  to 
attend  to  the  brake,  dressed  like  the  others.  The 
Zulus  have  never  been  slaves  and  are  called  one  of 
the  most  intelligent  of  the  African  tribes,  superior 
in  their  physique,  bearing,  and  language. 

The  men  consider  themselves  dressed  when  their 
loins  are  covered  with  a  thick  skirt  of  fringe  made 
from  twisted  strips  of  skin,  with  the  hair  or  fur 
left  on.  The  women  wear  skirts  that  come  to  their 
knees,  made  from  nicely  tanned  skins.  They,  like 
the  men,  think  themselves  dressed,  and  after  a  time, 
we  missionaries  get  to  thinking  so,  too. 

This  reminds  me  of  a  little  incident  that  hap- 
pened after  I  had  been  many  years  in  the  mission. 
An  American  lady,  who  was  teaching  in  a  school 
for  white  girls  in  Cape  Colony,  came  to  visit  me. 
While  she  was  there  we  went  to  see  some  friends 
at  another  station,  about  twenty-five  miles  distant. 
I  then  had  a  little  American  buggy,  in  which  I  some- 
times drove  my  horse.  We  started  early  in  the  morn- 
ing and  had  a  good  road  for  part  of  the  way.  The 
country  was  beautiful,  but  the  remainder  of  the  road 
was  greatly  overgrown  by  grass,  being  little  more 
than  a  faint  track  at  any  season  of  the  year.  How- 
ever, there  were  trees  and  other  landmarks  to  indi- 
cate the  way,  which  was  not  unfamiliar  to  me.  We 
reached  the  top  of  a  hill,  where  the  grass  had  quite 
overgrown  the  path  so  that  it  was  difficult  to  tell 
which  was  the  right  one,  just  there.  A  kraal  being 
near,  a  man  came  out  dressed  in  his  native  costume. 
I  was  very  glad  to  see  him  and  learn  about  the  way. 


NATAL  29 

As  soon  as  he  found  who  we  were  and  where  we 
came  from,  he  was  pleased  to  see  us  and  to  show 
us  the  right  direction.  He  knew  a  number  of  our 
missionaries  and  was  much  interested  to  hear  about 
them,  and  the  work  at  the  station.  So  he,  most 
courteously  and  kindly,  went  on  with  us  for  quite 
a  distance  until  the  path  became  more  plain.  When 
he  had  politely  waved  his  hand  over  his  head  and 
said  good-bye,  and  we  ours,  with  thanks,  my  friend, 
in  a  faint  voice,  said,  "  Oh,  how  dreadful !  What 
would  my  mother  say  if  she  knew  this !  "  In  a  flash 
I  then  realized  that  she  had  not  understood  a  word 
of  all  we  had  been  saying  or  seen  how  kindly  and 
respectfully  this  man,  in  his  Zulu  fashion,  had  shown 
us  the  way,  although  a  heathen  and  dressed  as  such. 
I  am  glad  to  say  that  she,  too,  a  few  years  later, 
became  a  missionary  and  ceased  to  wonder,  I  trust, 
what  her  mother  would  say  when  she  saw  a  heathen 
Zulu,  as  she  spent  faithful  years  of  service  for  them. 
To  go  back  to  my  first  trip  in  a  big  wagon.  We 
travelled  on  for  about  twelve  miles,  over  a  rough, 
and  gradually  ascending,  road,  seeing  little  of  civiliza- 
tion, aside  from  two  or  three  sugar  estates  owned 
by  English  people,  until  we  reached  Inanda.  There, 
dear  Mrs.  Lindley,  with  her  beautiful  smiling  face 
and  open  arms,  came  out  to  welcome  me  to  the  mis- 
sion and  her  home.  She  was  the  mother  of  eleven 
grown-up  children.  Only  the  eldest  and  youngest 
were,  at  that  time,  with  the  parents.  Although  far 
from  strong,  yet  she  was  very  active.  One  day  I 
saw  her  get  onto  her  horse  and  ride  off  like  a  girl, 
as  she  went  to  see  a  sick  woman.     Evening  after 


30        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

evening,  she  continued  as  she  had  done  for  many 
years,  to  teach  a  few  natives  in  her  kitchen.  A  num- 
ber of  the  teachers  and  preachers  in  the  mission  were 
first  influenced  and  taught  by  her  to  become  Chris- 
tians. 

Inanda  is  one  of  the  oldest  stations  of  the  Zulu 
Mission.  At  that  time  there  was  only  a  little  village 
of  the  Christian  people,  a  small  church  and  day 
school,  the  missionaries'  house,  and  a  one-story  brick 
building  for  a  girls'  boarding  school,  which  had  been 
started  a  little  over  a  year  before  by  Mrs.  Mary 
K.  Edwards,  who  was  the  first  lady  tO'  be  sent  out 
by  the  Woman's  Board  of  our  Mission  to  any  field. 

After  spending  a  week  or  two  at  Inanda,  I  went 
to  Mopumulu,  a  station  about  fifty  miles  inland, 
where  I  began  the  study  of  the  Zulu  language  with 
the  Rev.  Abraham  as  my  teacher.  He  was  often 
in  his  study  fourteen  hours  a  day  working  on  the 
translation  of  the  Zulu  Bible,  seeing  natives  and  at- 
tending to  other  affairs,  besides  hearing  my  lessons. 
He  would  work  very  early  in  the  morning  and  late 
at  night.  With  his  wife's  assistance  he  was  also 
educating  their  three  half-grown  sons,  as  there  was 
no  school  for  them  to  attend.  Those  boys  could 
speak  the  Zulu  language  like  natives,  and  enjoyed 
taking  me  out  for  rides  on  horseback,  to  visit  the 
kraals,  which  was  a  great  help  in  learning  about  the 
Zulus  and  their  language. 

My  interest  in  the  people  grew  and  I  longed  for 
the  time  to  come  when  I  could  talk  and  influence 
them  to  live  new  and  better  lives. 

Pretty  flowers  were  in  front  of  the  mission  home 


THE    FIRST    SINGLE    LADIES    TO    JOIN    THE    MISSION 

FROM    AMERICA 

3  Miss  G.  R.  Hanci"         6  Miss  F.  M.  Morris 
1  .Mrs.  :\L  K.  Edwards 
4  Miss  M.  E.  Pinkerton  5  :\riss  M.  Price 

2  Miss  L.  A.  Dav 


NATAL  31 

and  many  nice  orange,  banana,  and  other  fruit  trees, 
near,  which  had  been  set  out  by  the  missionary. 
The  house  was  on  a  high  ridge  with  pecuhar  deep 
ravines  and  uneven  hills  all  about. 

We  were  far  from  other  white  people.  The  lan- 
guage was  so  unlike  my  own  and  so  difficult  I  some- 
times felt  as  though  I  could  never  master  it.  But  I 
studied  hard  and  tried  to  talk.  If  I  could  learn  it 
I  felt  I  should  like  to  work  for  the  kraal  people  and 
knew  I  could  not  unless  I  were  able  to  speak  so  that 
they  could  understand.  There  is  some  school  work 
which  one  might  do  without  knowing  much  of  the 
language.  I  did  not  wish  to  do  that,  as  the  other 
appealed  to  me  more  strongly. 

At  the  station  was  a  little  group  of  Christian  peo- 
ple, who,  with  their  children,  wore  European  cloth- 
ing. They  came  to  church  on  Sunday  looking  neatly 
dressed  in  the  garments  which  the  missionary's  wife 
had  taught  them  to  make.  A  good  many  heathen 
came  also,  and  we  were  glad  to  see  them,  although 
in  their  native  dress.  Sometimes  an  amusing  start 
was  made  to  wear  a  civilized  garment  with  the  native 
costume,  a  hat,  a  shirt,  a  handkerchief,  a  pair  of 
leggings,  a  vest,  a  pair  of  trousers  or  a  dress.  One 
day  an  old  woman  whose  name  was  "  Ushiline " 
(shilling)  came  to  the  missionary  lady  and  said  she 
wanted  to  dress  and  come  to  church.  Her  husband 
was  quite  an  important  chief,  but  he  was  old,  too, 
and  they  had  no  way  of  getting  a  dress  as  she  could 
not  sew.  The  lady  finally  gave  her  a  night  dress,  and 
with  a  belt  it  made  quite  a  good-looking  outer  gar- 
ment.    The  chief,  her  husband,  was  a  tall  man  and 


'32        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

he  also  wished  to  come  to  church.  The  next  Sunday 
a  white  object  came  striding  along  the  ridge  of  one 
of  the  hills  in  the  distance.  As  it  neared  the  church 
it  appeared  so  tall  and  stately  one  could  see  that  it 
was  not  "  Ushiline,"  but  her  husband,  in  the  night 
dress,  belt  and  all. 

The  missionary  had  a  very  good  driver  for  the 
ox  wagon.  His  name  was  Umsela.  He  must  have 
been  forty  years  old,  or  more,  and  was  a  heathen 
man.  He  was  always  most  helpful  and  kind  when 
he  went  with  the  wagon,  and  wore  some  European 
clothes.  Although  he  frequently  came  to  church  he 
appeared  to  have  no  desire  to  become  a  Christian. 
Afterward,  the  following  story  came  out  about  him : 
Two  or  three  years  before  his  brother  had  died,  and, 
according  to  native  custom,  Umsela  inherited  his 
wives  and  children.  They  did  not  like  him  and 
somehow  a  story  was  circulated  that  he  was  an  "  Um- 
takate,"  (wizard).  Hatred  and  jealousy  often  cause 
such  an  accusation  to  be  made  by  a  person  or  persons 
who  dislike  another.  Superstition  and  fear  make 
others  too  ready  to  believe  it. 

One  of  the  older  girls  was  taken  ill  and  died  of 
consumption.  A  year  or  two  later  a  second  one  died 
of  the  same  disease.  This  made  a  great  stir,  and  a 
third  girl,  nearly  grown,  ran  away,  accusing  Umsela 
of  being  an  "  Umtakate."  As  their  marriage  dowries 
would  have  come  to  him  had  they  lived,  it  was  not 
a  reasonable  story,  but  she  and  others  said  they  had 
seen  him  mixing  medicine,  and  believed  he  had  put 
it  on  some  meat  and  given  it  to  the  sick  girls.  "  They 
ate  it  and  it  stucl^  in  their  lungs  and  months  after- 


NATAL  33 

ward  they  threw  up  with  much  blood  before  they 
died,  the  very  same  meat  which  he  had  given  them, 
so  that  was  witness  against  him."  They  were  sure 
of  it  and  truly  believed  it. 

All  one  could  say  would  not  take  this  belief  out 
of  their  minds,  and  poor  Umsela  was  crushed  and 
heart-broken  over  their  accusations.  He,  too,  died 
not  many  years  afterward;  but  the  missionary  and 
some  others  did  not  think  him  at  all  to  blame,  or 
unkind  to  the  girls. 

It  is  hard  to  overcome  these  beliefs,  even  after 
the  natives  become  Christians.  Most  of  them  think 
that  a  kind  of  bug  or  cricket  gets  into  their  stomachs 
and  causes  sickness,  and  into  their  heads  and  causes 
insanity.  Also  that  walking  over  medicine  which  an 
evil  person  has  sprinkled  in  the  path,  or  near  about, 
has  caused  sickness  and  death.  If  any  one  is  sick 
some  person  is  always  blamed. 

One  of  the  royal  family  fell  from  a  tree  and  broke 
his  arm.  A  man  who  was  nowhere  near  him  when 
he  fell  was  accused  of  having  sprinkled  medicine 
under  the  tree,  and  so  they  put  him  to  death.  Many 
other  things  of  that  kind  were  continually,  happening 
amongst  the  heathen. 

The  English  government,  now  being  in  control, 
does  not  allow  such  penalties.  Dozens  of  the  Zulu 
superstitions  are  no  more  absurd  than  some  of  those 
of  civilized  people,  such  as  thirteen  at  table,  the  bad 
luck  of  Friday,  knocking  on  wood,  and  other  heathen 
signs. 


Ill 


THE    ZULUS    AND    THEIR    WHITE 
NEIGHBOURS 

THE  heathen  Zulus  do  not  worship  idols,  or  a 
supreme  being.  They  know  nothing  of  a 
creator.  Some  of  those  who  have  become 
Christians  used  to  tell  me  again  and  again  how  they 
longed  to  know  who  made  the  sky,  the  sun,  and  stars, 
the  Indian  Ocean,  that  came  "  just  so  far  and  no 
farther,"  the  world,  the  great  world,  its  people,  and 
who  caused  their  gardens  to  grow. 

They  believe  that  the  spirits  of  their  ancestors 
hover  about  them  on  earth,  or  go  into  some  animal 
or  snake,  and  so,  under  certain  circumstances,  they 
must  offer  sacrifices  to  them,  to  appease  their  wrath. 

If  one  is  ill,  they  say  that  his  ancestors  are  hungry, 
or  displeased,  and  offer  meat  as  a  sacrifice.  The  meat 
is  not  cooked,  but  left  in  an  empty  hut  over  night. 
The  next  morning  the  friends  of  the  sick  person  take 
it  out,  cook  it,  and  eat  it. 

There  are  certain  snakes  that  they  do  not  kill.  I 
remember  once  finding  a  large  one  asleep  in  my  room, 
as  I  went  in  to  go  to  bed.  (We  always  looked  under 
the  bed,  pillows,  and  other  things  before  putting  out 
the  light.)  I  rushed  out  to  find  some  Zulus  to  come 
and  kill  it.  Although  large  and  of  a  peculiar  shape 
it  was  not  one  of  the  most  poisonous  kind.    The  boys 

34 


ZULUS  AND  WHITE  NEIGHBOURS       35 

hesitated  and  said,  "  We  do  not  want  to  kill  your 
ancestor,"  I  told  them  to  despatch  the  snake  as 
soon  as  possible,  and  we  would  talk  about  ancestors 
afterwards. 

They  have  a  tradition  as  to  the  way  death  came 
into  the  world,  and  say  that  the  first  man  found  him- 
self in  a  bed  of  reeds  beside  a  river.  A  spirit  told 
a  lizard  to  go  and  tell  the  man  that  he  might  live 
forever.  Then  the  spirit  sent  a  chameleon  to  the 
man  to  tell  him  he  must  die.  Both  started  on  their 
errands.  The  lizard  hastened  at  first,  but  fell  asleep 
by  the  way.  The  chameleon  went  slowly,  but  steadily 
plodding  on,  and  was  first  to  reach  the  man  with  his 
message  of  death.  So  death  came  into  the  world. 
The  Zulus  hate  both  the  Hzard  and  the  chameleon, 
but  would  not  dare  to  harm  either  of  them.  If  one 
urges  to  know  who  the  spirit  was  that  sent  the  mes- 
sages, they  say,  "  Oh,  it  was  only  Unkulunkulu," 
much  as  we  would  speak  of  a  fairy,  only  a  fairy. 

The  heathen  Zulu  lives  in  a  kraal,  which  is  com- 
posed of  round  grass  huts.  These  huts  form  a  circle 
about  a  circular  hedge  in  which  the  cattle  are  kept 
at  night.  Each  wife  has  her  own  private  hut;  the 
larger  boys  have  their  own  hut  and  the  larger  girls 
have  a  hut  with  a  grandmother  or  some  older  woman, 
who  has  charge  of  them.  A  brother,  or  any  near 
relative,  guards  and  never  dishonours  the  virtue  of 
a  woman  or  girl  in  their  family ;  neither  will  relatives, 
although  very  remote,  intermarry. 

I  remember  our  having  a  great  deal  of  trouble 
once,  at  Umvoti,  because  a  Christian  young  man 
and  woman  wished  to  marry.     They  were  very  dis- 


36        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

tantly  related,  so  distantly  they  could  not  quite  make 
out  how  it  was ;  but  the  fathers  said  it  should  not  be 
allowed.  However,  they  were  finally  induced  to 
give  their  consent. 

The  huts  are  made  by  driving  long  limber  sticks 
into  the  ground,  curving  them  to  a  height  of  about 
seven  feet,  forming  a  round  top,  then  neatly  weaving 
in  other  limber  sticks,  or  reeds.  Two  or  three  posts 
are  put  underneath  and  it  is  nicely  thatched  over  to 
the  ground  with  grass.  The  door  is  about  two  or 
two  and  one-half  feet  high. 

It  is  impossible  for  them  to  make  a  square.  They 
sit  in  circles,  and  build  their  houses  and  kraals  in 
circles.  Ask  a  heathen,  who  had  not  been  taught, 
to  make  a  square  on  a  slate,  and  he  would  draw  a 
circle  every  time. 

They  have  many  peculiar  customs,  among  them 
the  marriage  engagement  and  ceremony.  The  father 
of  the  young  man  and  the  father  of  the  young  woman 
get  together,  and  if  they  can  make  satisfactory  ar- 
rangements, a  match  is  planned.  After  this  meeting 
the  girl  is  supposed  to  do  the  courting.  The  decision 
may  not  be  satisfactory  to  either  of  the  young  people, 
but  that  does  not  matter.  The  girl  makes  a  visit  to 
the  kraal  of  her  prospective  father-in-law.  If  she 
does  not  wish  to  go  and  does  not  like  the  young  man, 
they  have  many  ways  of  persecuting  her  until  she 
yields.  One  is  to  tie  her  thumb  so  tight,  it  some- 
times drops  off;  or  they  will  not  speak  to  her,  or  eat 
with  her,  and  tie  her  near  the  cooking  fire  on  a  hot 
day. 

When  the  first  visit  is  made  the  young  man  is 


ZULUS  AND  WHITE  NEIGHBOURS       37 

seldom  at  home.  She  goes  in,  says  nothing,  but  sits 
down  in  his  mother's  hut.  His  parents,  no  matter 
how  well  they  may  think,  pretend  not  to  approve  of 
her.  They  talk  of  their  high  family  standing,  etc. 
After  several  days,  often  weeks,  the  girl  sitting  and 
saying  little,  they  may  decide  to  accept  her;  if  so, 
they  send  her  home  with  a  chief  man,  two  or  three 
women  and  girls,  and  seven  head  of  cattle,  the  least 
number  that  is  given  to  bind  an  engagement.  Some- 
times the  chief  of  a  tribe  gives  as  many  as  three  hun- 
dred head.  I  knew  a  woman  for  whom  that  number 
was  given. 

A  man  may  have  as  many  wives  as  he  can  pay  for. 
The  Zulus  are  not  married  young.  It  may  be  years 
after  the  engagement  before  the  marriage  takes 
place,  but  the  girl's  father  keeps  the  cattle.  At  the 
wedding,  at  least  three  more  are  given. 

The  young  woman  continues  to  call  on  the  young 
man,  or  his  family,  but  he  is  seldom  at  home.  She 
takes  presents  for  the  future  mother-in-law,  in  order 
to  keep  on  good  terms  with  her.  The  young  man 
finally  visits  her  and  a  feast  is  given. 

The  night  before  the  wedding  day,  the  bride-to-be, 
often  with  seventy  or  a  hundred  of  her  people,  arrives 
in  sight  of  the  young  man's  home,  a  little  before  sun- 
set. There  they  sit,  on  the  nearest  hill,  and  wait  for 
someone  to  come  out  and  meet  them.  The  older  men 
go  with  great  ceremony  and  escort  them  to  some 
nearby  kraal,  prepared  for  the  party,  where  food  is 
provided.  The  young  woman  appears  very  unhappy 
and  is  supposed  to  weep. 

Next  morning,  with  the  bridesmaids,  she  goes  to 


38        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

the  river  and  prepares  for  the  wedding.  There  are 
no  hairpins,  the  bride's  hair  is  done  up  in  a  top-knot 
and  plastered  together  with  clay.  She  covers  her 
face  with  a  veil,  or  bead  ornaments,  and  wears  a 
skirt  made  of  cowhide,  that  comes  about  to  her  knees. 
Her  shoulders  are  covered  with  ornaments.  Shortly 
before  noon  the  bridal  party  starts  for  the  bride- 
groom's kraal,  doing  a  good  deal  of  singing  and 
dancing  by  the  way. 

Having  arrived,  her  friends  form  a  circle  about 
her,  and  the  groom's  friends  form  a  circle  around 
him.  The  marriage  ceremony  is  completed  when  the 
groom's  friends  succeed  in  getting  the  bride  into 
their  circle.  It  always  take  a  long  struggle  to  do 
this,  and  the  friends  of  the  couple  are  boisterous  and 
noisy.  When  they  are  finally  successful  the  friends 
of  the  groom  pass  before  the  bride  and  in  a  semi- 
scolding  manner  tell  her  how  fortunate  she  has  been 
in  becoming  a  member  of  such  a  noble  family  and 
how  unworthy  she  is  of  such  a  husband.  The  bride's 
friends  then  come  before  the  groom,  eulogize  her, 
and  tell  him  that  he  has  been  honoured  in  securing 
such  a  wife. 

When  this  is  over,  a  great  feast  is  prepared  and 
all  enjoy  it  except  the  bride,  who  eats  nothing,  weeps, 
and  pretends  to  be  very  unhappy.  Finally,  all  the 
girls  of  the  company  gather  around  her  and  sing 
until  morning.  At  sunrise  her  friends  depart  for 
their  homes  and  she  goes  with  them  as  far  as  the 
nearest  river,  and  returns  weeping. 

The  Zulus  have  good  voices  and  some  of  them  learn 
to  sing  beautifully  ■  but  heathen  music  is  very  pecu- 


READY    FOR   A    PARTY 


ZULUS  AND  WHITE  NEIGHBOURS       39 

liar  and  weird,  although  they  keep  perfect  time.  They 
have  wonderful  war  songs,  wedding  songs  and  funeral 
marches.  I  often  wonder  at  the  systematic  manner 
in  which  they  conduct  funerals.  Everything  is  done 
in  perfect  order,  no  matter  how  unprepared  they  are. 
The  grave  is  dug  so  that  the  body,  when  put  in  it, 
will  be  in  a  sitting  position,  facing  the  east.  Blankets, 
mats,  etc.,  belonging  to  him  are  put  into  the  grave. 
His  war  weapons  are  given  to  his  eldest  son.  Mats 
are  put  over  all,  then  the  grave  is  filled  with  earth 
and  carefully  watched  for  a  long  time. 

The  case  of  King  Tyaka,  who  was  known  as  the 
Napoleon  of  South  Africa,  was  an  interesting  one. 
He  reigned  over  all  South  East  Africa,  before  many 
English  had  settled  there.  Like  Nero,  he  had  a 
mother  who  was  anxious  to  rule.  It  is  considered 
very  unmanly  to  be  unkind  to  a  mother.  His  mother 
took  advantage  of  this  and  made  him  much  trouble. 
He  wanted  to  get  rid  of  her  and  finally  caused  her 
death,  but  no  Zulu  would  dare  to  say  that. 

He  determined  to  show  himself  worthy  of  his 
office  by  honouring  her,  after  her  death,  and  arranged 
for  the  greatest  funeral  ever  known  in  South  Africa. 
He  brought  ten  girls  from  different  parts  of  his 
country  and  had  them  put  in  the  grave  with  her. 
They  knelt  about  the  body  and  were  buried  alive. 
For  a  whole  year  ten  thousand  of  his  soldiers  watched 
her  grave. 

The  inhabitants  of  Natal  and  Zululand  were  mostly 
English,  Dutch  and  Zulus.  Later,  Indians  and 
Arabs  have  come  there  for  trade  and  to  work  on  the 
sugar  estates. 


40        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO  DAY 

In  the  northern  districts  of  Natal,  as  well  as  in 
Zululand  and  many  other  parts  of  South  Africa,  the 
Boers  own  large  tracts  of  land,  one  man  often  hav- 
ing hundreds,  or  even  thousands,  of  acres. 

For  many  years  the  white  people  in  Natal  paid 
no  land  tax.  In  the  majority  of  cases,  before  the 
Boer  war,  their  ideas  of  progress  were  not  unlike 
those  prevalent  two  hundred  years  ago  in  Europe. 
They  cared  little  for  good  roads,  schools,  railroads, 
new  industries,  or  the  opening  of  mines. 

On  horseback,  accompanied  by  a  Scotch  lad,  I 
once  rode  through  that  part  of  Natal,  where  many  of 
the  Boers  have  farms.  A  Dutch  minister  gave  me 
a  letter  of  introduction  to  a  farmer,  a  deacon  in  his 
church,  at  whose  home,  he  said,  we  would  find  as 
comfortable  a  place  as  there  was,  to  stay  for  the 
night.  The  man  and  his  wife  received  us  kindly 
and  gave  me  the  best  they  had.  The  house  was 
small,  with  only  one  bedroom,  which  I  occupied. 
They,  with  the  smaller  children,  slept  in  the  living- 
room  adjoining.  The  Scotch  lad  slept  on  the  floor 
of  the  little  room  ofif  the  kitchen  with  the  boys  of  the 
family,  who  did  not  remove  the  clothes  they  had 
worn  during  the  day.  I  went  to  bed  early.  About 
ten  o'clock  I  was  awakened  by  a  strange,  weird, 
singsong  reading  of  a  Psalm.  Then  a  prayer  was 
offered  in  the  same  tone,  all  in  Dutch. 

Next  morning  I  said  to  my  host  that  I  would  like 
to  see  their  garden  and  farm.  There  was  not  a 
flower,  shrub,  or  tree  near  the  house,  and  almost  no 
garden.  The  farmer  showed  me  where  his  land 
extended,  as  far  as  we  could  see.     He  had  over  a 


ZULUS  AND  WHITE  NEIGHBOURS       41 

hundred   horses,   several  thousand  sheep   and  hun- 
dreds of  cattle. 

I  asked  him  if  he  would  not  like  to  have  better 
roads  and  a  railroad  by  which  he  could  take  his  wool 
and  stock  to  market.  "  No,"  said  he,  "  I  can  take 
my  wool  in  my  large  wagon."  And  a  school,  would 
he  not  like  to  have  a  school  for  his  children?  He 
replied  that  they  did  not  need  a  school,  but  would 
I  help  him  get  a  tutor?  He  would  like  to  get  one 
for  about  six  months,  so  that  his  children  could  be 
taught  the  catechism  and  to  read  the  Bible ! 

I  found  he  was  only  one  of  many  Boer  farmers 
who  had  similar  opinions,  and  made  no  effort  what- 
ever, then,  to  improve  the  country  or  the  lives  and 
minds  of  the  natives  on  their  lands. 

How  could  a  people  like  these,  in  this  twentieth 
century,  rule  others  themselves,  or  justly  rule  and 
elevate  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  heathen  Zulus 
and  other  natives  about  them,  who  are  naturally  in- 
telligent, and  quick  to  learn  good  or  evil? 

This  deacon  went  to  church,  twenty  miles  away, 
with  his  family,  once  in  six  months,  to  attend  the 
"  Nachmaal  "  (communion),  but  not  more  often. 

The  Boer  farmers  usually  settle  their  quarrels  and 
disputes  a  few  days  before  communion,  but  frequently 
renew  them  the  following  week,  or  soon  afterward. 


IV 


THE  FIRST  AMERICAN  MISSIONARIES  TO 
SOUTH   AFRICA 

IT  was  December  2.2,  1835,  when  the  first  mission- 
aries from  America  landed  in  Natal.  They 
started  from  the  homeland,  a  party  of  six 
ministers  and  their  wives,  sent  out  by  the  A.B.C.F.M. 
At  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  three  of  the  gentlemen 
and  their  wives  went  with  ox  wagons  far  inland  to 
what  is  now  Northern  Transvaal.  The  other  three, 
with  their  wives,  after  many  delays,  went  part  way 
to  Natal.  At  Port  Elizabeth  the  ladies  remained 
with  English  friends,  while  the  gentlemen  went  on 
to  reconnoitre  and  build  temporary  houses. 

The  country  had  not  yet  been  taken  over  by  the 
English  and  only  a  few  traders  and  hunters  were 
living  there,  besides  the  Zulus. 

The  missionaries  were  obliged  to  go  a  hundred  and 
sixty  miles  or  more  inland,  to  see  the  then  reigning 
King,  a  noted  warrior  by  the  name  of  Dingane,  who 
ruled  both  Natal  and  Zululand. 

He  was  sceptical  about  their  being  able  to  make 
marks  on  paper  tell  greater  things  than  his  wizards. 
He  had  two  dogs.  Their  names  were  Tyaka  and 
Dingane.  He  knew  that  the  missionaries  had  not 
been  told  this.  He  sent  a  chief  man  with  one  of  the 
missionaries  to  a  clump  of  bushes,  out  of  sight,  and 

43 


THE  AMERICAN  MISSIONARIES         43 

so  far  away  as  not  to  be  heard  at  the  kraah  There 
the  missionary  was  given  the  names  of  the  dogs,  and 
told  to  write  them  on  a  paper  which  was  then  to 
be  taken  to  the  king,  and  there  read  by  his  companion, 
while  he  remained  at  the  clump  of  bushes.  That  the 
names  were  rightly  told  greatly  astonished  the  king, 
and,  after  more  parley,  arrangements  were  made  for 
the  missionary  to  live  in  his  country.  Land  for  sta- 
tions was  allotted  to  them. 

There  was  then  no  alphabet  or  written  characters 
of  the  Zulu  language.  With  great  difficulty  the  mis- 
sionaries began  its  study,  without  books  or  much 
assistance  from  the  white  hunters  and  traders,  al- 
though they  were  kind  to  help  what  they  could. 

Temporary  homes  were  built  of  reeds,  mud,  plaster, 
and  thatch,  three  or  four  miles  from  the  seaport. 
Two  of  the  gentlemen  went  to  bring  the  ladies  and 
returned  with  them,  travelling  the  six  hundred  miles 
in  an  ox  wagon.  Before  they  left  Port  Elizabeth, 
they  were  greatly  saddened  by  the  illness  and  death 
from  consumption,  of  one  of  their  number,  Mrs. 
Grout.  She  died  full  of  faith,  rejoicing  that  she  had 
been  counted  worthy  to  leave  her  home  and  country 
to  aid  in  bringing  the  light  of  the  gospel  to  Africa. 

The  missionaries,  who  had  separated  from  their 
associates  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  gone  inland, 
suffered  great  hardships  and  privations.  After 
spending  two  years  in  the  part  of  the  country  where 
they  had  gone,  a  terrible  war  broke  out  there  between 
the  Boers  and  various  native  tribes.  It  was  impos- 
sible to  carry  on  missionary  work  and  they  were 
obliged  to  hastily  leave,  making  the  long  journey. 


44        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

more  than  a  thousand  miles,  in  the  inevitable  ox 
wagons,  to  join  their  brethren  in  Natal.  At  one  time 
while  on  the  journey  they  had  no  food  for  three  days, 
but  a  little  brown  sugar. 

They  had  suffered  much  from  fever,  and  one  of 
the  ladies,  Mrs.  Wilson,  died  before  they  left.  "  Tell 
my  mother  and  sister  and  friends,"  said  she,  "  that 
I  have  never  regretted  coming  to  Africa."  There 
was  nothing  with  which  to  make  a  coffin  for  her, 
except  two  boards  taken  from  the  sides  of  their 
wagon.  And  so  was  buried  one  of  the  first  American 
missionaries  to  Africa. 

The  Martha  Washington  Club,  of  Pretoria,  in  1914, 
put  up  a  beautiful  and  appropriate  monument  to  Mrs. 
Wilson,  near  the  spot  where  her  grave  is  supposed 
to  be.  It  cost  seventy  pounds,  including  the  land 
around  it.  It  has  two  bronze  plates,  one  a  reproduc- 
tion of  the  rough  stone  with  inscription,  which  was 
evidently  put  at  the  grave  by  Dr.  Wilson  in  1836, 
before  he  and  the  others  of  that  party  were  obliged 
to  leave  the  country  for  Natal.  The  monument  is 
within  sight  of  the  now  passing  trains  of  The  Cape 
to  Cairo  Railroad. 

A  hearty  welcome  awaited  the  weary,  travel- 
stained  party  when  they  reached  Natal.  As  soon  as 
arrangements  could  be  made,  the  missionaries  were 
located  at  four  points,  miles  from  each  other,  all 
studying  and  preaching  as  best  they  could. 

They  had  a  small  printing  press,  and,  as  fast  as  a 
little  of  the  language  could  be  learned,  words  and 
sentences  were  struck  off  and  schools  started  for  old 
and  young  who  would  come. 


THE  AMERICAN  MISSIONARIES         45 

The  Zulu  language  is  a  very  beautiful  one,  and 
up  to  that  time  it  had  been  kept  to  a  remarkable 
extent  unmixed  with  the  languages  of  other  nations, 
who  since  then  have  invaded  the  country. 

Through  the  entanglements  of  this  strange  tongue, 
the  missionaries  pressed  on  to  scientific  study  and 
mastery  of  it.  Grammars  and  dictionaries,  leaflets, 
school  cards,  part  of  the  Testament,  Psalms,  and 
hymn-books  were  published.  In  1883  the  mission 
succeeded  in  bringing  out  the  complete  Zulu  Bible. 

It  was  found  that  the  grammar  of  the  language 
could  be  written  as  clearly  and  fully  as  that  of  any 
European  language.  The  vocabulary  is  more  than 
twice  as  large  as  that  which  was  used  by  the  peasants 
of  England. 

It  is  not  harsh,  but  pleasant  to  the  ear,  although 
it  has  four  "  clicks  "  represented  by  its  alphabet.  One 
of  these,  and  sometimes  two,  come  into  a  word  now 
and  then.  This  language  is  not  at  all  like  English, 
but  is  to  South  Africa  like  Latin  to  Europe,  a  basis 
for  a  variety  of  tongues.  Mr.  Stanley  said  that  with 
a  Zulu  interpreter  he  could  make  himself  understood 
by  almost  any  tribe  south  of  the  equator.  So  we  find 
that  the  Bible  and  many  other  books  published  in 
Zulu,  by  our  missionaries,  are  now  being  largely 
sold  far  inland  in  places  where  we  did  not  know  of 
Zulu-speaking  tribes  thirty  or  forty  years  ago. 

The  Zulus  had  a  wonderful  and  most  practical 
system  of  warfare.  Every  able-bodied  man  belonged 
to  a  regiment  that  could  be  called  into  service  at  any 
time.  In  battle  they  formed  like  the  head  of  a  two- 
horned  beast.     The  horns  often  extended  for  miles 


46        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

away  behind  the  hills.  Gradually  they  would  draw 
together  until  suddenly  the  enemy  would  find  them- 
selves surrounded,  as  did  the  English,  at  Isandhlwana 
and  other  places,  before  they  conquered  the  Zulus. 

Years  before  the  missionaries  from  America  went 
to  South  Africa,  generals  in  the  Zulu  army  would 
find  they  had  too  many  jealous  enemies  in  the  ranks. 
For  fear  of  their  hatred  and  treachery  they  would 
secretly  leave,  taking  their  friends  and  a  company  or 
regiment  with  them.  To  get  far  from  their  enemies, 
they  often  went  many  hundred  miles  inland,  before 
they  settled  down.  There  they  would  overcome  other 
tribes  and  make  them  learn  to  speak  the  Zulu  lan- 
guage. This  accounts  for  its  being  so  extensively 
spoken  in  many  far-away  tribes. 

It  is  to  the  everlasting  honour  of  the  Zulu  nation 
that,  in  times  of  peace,  before  the  influence  of  evil 
foreigners  had  crept  in  to  corrupt  the  natives  and 
their  children,  not  only  missionaries  but  other  white 
ladies  were  always  treated  with  respect  by  them; 
they  had  no  cause  to  fear  any  of  the  people. 

Frequently  where  a  Zulu  man  was  properly  treated, 
he  would  work  years  for  a  white  family,  being  per- 
fectly honest  and  trustworthy  in  his  interest  and  care 
for  all  in  the  home.  They  are  kind  to  children  and 
like  best  those  brought  up  to  respect  their  parents 
and  others.  I  do  not  remember  ever  hearing  a  Zulu 
child  interrupt  his  father  when  speaking.  They 
are  a  conservative  people,  have  good  forms  and  well- 
developed  heads.  It  was  unusual  to  see  a  Zulu  man 
who  was  other  than  dignified  and  courteous.  They 
have  a  great  pride  of  race,  of  their  courage  and  self- 


THE  AMERICAN  MISSIONARIES         47 

control.  A  Zulu  father  will  say  to  his  little  son, 
"  You  must  not  scream  or  make  a  fuss  when  you 
are  hurt  or  in  pain;  you  are  a  Zulu,  a  little  Zulu 
man." 

Work  was  getting  well  started  by  our  mission  in 
Natal,  when  another  tribal  war  broke  out  between 
the  Boers  and  Zulus.  The  Zulus,  knowing  what  the 
Boers  had  done  farther  north  to  the  tribes  there, 
determined  to  drive  them  from  their  land.  They  took 
them  unawares  and  many  hundreds  were  massacred. 

It  was  no  longer  prudent  for  the  missionaries  to 
remain  in  the  country;  they  sought  shelter  at  Port 
Elizabeth  and  Cape  Town,  where  they  received  great 
kindness  from  English  friends,  as  well  as  from  the 
English  government,  which  urged  them  not  to  give 
up  the  mission  and  return  to  America,  although  the 
board  in  Boston  had  advised  them  to  do  so.  Letters 
were  often  many  months  going  to  and  from  the 
home  land.  In  the  meantime  the  English  govern- 
ment had  taken  over  Natal,  and  things  becoming 
more  settled,  the  missionaries  resumed  their  work 
there.  The  government  gave  twelve  grants  of  land 
to  the  American  board  for  mission  purposes.  There 
were  from  five  thousand  to  more  than  twelve  thou- 
sand acres  in  each  of  these  Mission  Reserves.  They 
extend  up  and  down  the  eastern  part  of  Natal,  from 
fifteen  to  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles  apart.  All  our 
older  stations  are  on  them,  each  having  also  a  glebe 
of  five  hundred  acres,  on  which  the  churches, 
mission-houses,  and  school-houses  are  built. 

The  Zulus  were  slow  to  accept  Christianity.  The 
difficulties  of  the  language,  the   various  wars,  the 


48        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

extreme  prejudices,  the  superstitions  and  stubborn- 
ness of  the  Zulu  mind,  delayed  the  formation  of  a 
church  for  over  eleven  years  after  the  landing  of  the 
first  missionaries. 

The  light  of  the  Gospel  shone  into  the  heart  of  a 
Zulu  woman  and  she  was  the  first  of  that  nation  to 
be  baptized.  Her  name  was  *'  Umbulase."  In  many 
respects  she  was  a  remarkable  woman.  Her  husband 
had  been  an  influential  and  powerful  chief.  He  was 
killed  in  war  at  the  time  of  the  noted  and  bloody 
warrior,  King  Tyaka.  The  year  following  Umbu- 
lase's  baptism,  her  son,  Nembula,  was  baptized.  He 
became  an  educated,  intelligent  Christian  man  and 
was  ordained  as  pastor  over  one  of  the  older  churches 
at  the  station  where  he  had  lived  from  a  child.  His 
son  studied  in  the  schools  of  our  mission,  came  to 
America,  finishing  with  the  study  of  medicine.  After 
receiving  his  diploma  he  returned  to  Natal,  and  was 
employed  by  the  government  as  district  surgeon. 
All  three,  mother,  son,  and  grandson,  have  now 
passed  on  to  the  "  Better  Land,"  after  living  as  Chris- 
tian members  of  the  church  for  many  years. 

Umbulase,  the  mother,  lived  for  a  few  years  after 
I  reached  Natal.  When  I  saw  her  she  was  feeble 
and  nearly  blind,  but  still  earnest  and  trustful  in  her 
Christian  faith. 

Nembula  used  to  tell  the  story  how  he  and  other 
little  boys  went  to  the  service,  when  the  Gospel  was 
first  preached  to  the  Zulus.  Many  people  came.  It 
was  held  under  a  large  and  beautiful  untombe  tree, 
noted  as  the  oldest  and  largest  in  the  country.  More 
than  a  thousand  people  could  sit  in  its  shade,  on  the 


THE  AMERICAN  MISSIONARIES         49 

soft  green  grass  beneath  it.    When  travelling  I  have 
often  outspanned  there. 

The  missionary  who  held  the  service  was  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Adams.  His  subject  was  "  The  Good  Shepherd." 
He  had  spent  much  time  and  strength  to  get  the  best 
and  most  of  his  knowledge  of  Zulu  into  that  simple 
address,  thinking,  hoping,  and  praying  that  the  people 
might  not  fail  to  comprehend  its  meaning.  The  next 
morning  the  little  boy,  Nembula,  came  to  the  mis- 
sionary and  said,  "  Will  you  not  hire  me  to  help 
herd  your  cattle?  We  think  you  must  be  a  great 
herdsman  wath  many  cattle,  you  said  so  much  about 
it  yesterday."  He  remained,  his  mother,  Umbulase, 
also  came  and  for  many  years  they  lived  at  the 
mission-house,  and  so  began  some  of  the  first  influ- 
ences for  Christianity  among  the  Zulus. 

Still  very  slowly  the  number  increased  of  those 
who  were  willing  to  give  up  heathenism,  with  its 
sins  and  allurements,  and  accept  Christianity.  The 
mission  has  always  been  cautious,  never  hasty  in  ad- 
mitting persons  to  church  membership.  I  think  I 
voice  the  feeling  of  most  workers  when  I  say  that 
one  of  the  greatest  trials  to  a  missionary  is  when  a 
convert  goes  back  to  heathenism;  hence  the  need  of 
caution  and  delay. 

So  our  society  worked  steadily  on  for  the  Zulus, 
their  faith  and  patience  often  tried,  but  they  were  not 
discouraged.  Year  by  year  there  was  a  small,  though 
increasing,  number  of  those  who  really  understood 
and  accepted  the  truths  of  the  Gospel.  Usually  such 
came  to  the  station  to  live  in  a  more  civilized  way 
and  send  their  children  to  school. 


50        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

But  in  the  early  eighties  of  the  last  century,  a 
great  awakening  began  in  our  mission  and  extended 
to  many  part  of  the  country.  In  the  year  1899 
nearly  as  many  united  with  our  churches  as  had  done 
so  in  all  the  first  fifty  years  of  the  work. 

The  American  board  now  has  stations  in  many 
parts  of  Natal,  as  well  as  in  the  Transvaal,  Zululand, 
Rhodesia,  and  Portuguese  territory.  There  are  day 
schools  at  all  the  stations,  and  at  many  of  the  out 
stations.  Grants  are  given  for  them  by  the  English 
government.  There  are  two  boarding  schools  for 
girls  and  one  for  boys,  besides  the  normal  school 
and  a  theological  seminary.  The  latter,  as  well  as 
the  boys'  school,  has,  for  the  past  few  years,  been 
unitedly  carried  on  by  the  Scotch  and  American  mis- 
sionaries. 

Many  of  the  Zulus  are  quick  to  learn  mathematics 
and  also  the  English  language,  which  they  frequently 
speak  well,  with  a  good  accent.  They  often  make 
excellent  teachers,  as  well  as  preachers.  Trades  and 
industries  are  taught  in  the  higher  schools. 

Various  grades  of  dwellings  are  built  by  the  more 
civilized  Zulus,  some  of  brick.  There  are  good  brick 
churches  and  school-houses,  with  suitable  furnishings, 
at  many  of  the  stations. 

In  later  chapters  I  shall  speak  more  in  detail  re- 
garding some  departments  of  the  work  which  I  have 
here  mentioned. 

The  missionary's  home  is  usually  a  comfortable, 
pleasant,  one-story  building  of  brick,  which  a  prac- 
tical, refined,  American  woman  can  make  homelike. 

For  food  they  can  have  chicken,  eggs,  sometimes 


THE  AMERICAN  MISSIONARIES         51 

meat,  fish,  bread,  beans,  green  corn,  rice,  sweet,  and 
other  potatoes,  witli  a  few  kinds  of  garden  vegeta- 
bles. Oranges,  bananas,  and  various  tropical  fruits, 
tea  and  sugar  cane  also  grow  there. 

Sometimes  I  thought  of  things  which  I  would  have 
enjoyed,  such  as  apples  and  other  American  fruits. 
One  becomes  very  tired  of  rice,  sweet  potatoes,  and 
chicken,  although  he  may  be  very  grateful  for  them. 
We  had  many  ways  of  cooking  chicken;  but  after 
my  return  to  America  I  did  not  care  to  see  or  taste 
of  this  kind  of  meat  for  more  than  a  year.  The 
greater  part  of  the  time  while  I  was  in  Africa  I  was 
many  miles  from  a  market ;  and  yet,  I  would  not  like 
to  say  that  I  ever  suffered  for  food  or  for  a  com- 
fortable place  in  which  to  live,  for  that  would  not 
be  true.  The  snakes,  the  white  ants,  the  ticks,  and 
the  white  tramps  were  the  worst  to  be  dreaded.  Dis- 
sipated second  and  third  sons  of  distinguished  fami- 
lies, as  well  as  more  common  people,  frequently 
drifted  to  that  country  from  England,  having  little 
money,  ability,  or  desire  to  earn  an  honest  living. 


ENTERING  THE  WORK 

AFTER  studying  the  language  for  a  few  months, 
I  went  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  mission, 
when  I  was  assigned  to  the  station  at  Umvoti, 
one  of  the  older  ones,  fifty  miles  north  of  Durban, 
and  about  six  miles  from  the  Indian  Ocean.  A  mis- 
sionary. Rev.  David  Rood  and  his  wife,  were  there; 
their  only  children,  a  son  and  daughter,  had  been 
sent  to  America.  The  view  was  fine  as  one  looked 
from  the  house  on  the  sparkling  river  and  across 
it  to  the  fields  of  sugar  cane,  the  green  hills  and  trees 
in  the  distance. 

In  the  early  days,  after  the  first  missionary  came 
to  Umvoti,  five  elephants  were  seen  in  the  drift  below 
the  house,  one  morning.  I  never  saw  any  wild  ele- 
phants and  they,  are  no  longer  found  in  Natal,  but 
hippopotami  were  still  in  the  lagoon  six  miles  away, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Umvoti,  where  the  tide  comes  in. 

An  amusing  story  was  told  me  by  an  old  gentle- 
man who'  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  Natal.  He 
and  a  friend  went  to  fish  at  the  mouth  of  the  Umvoti. 
They  slept  in  their  wagon,  outspanning  across  a 
path.  Late  at  night  they  were  wakened  by  a  great 
tramping  and  knew  the  elephants  were  coming  and 
that  they  never  turned  out  of  a  path,  if  it  were  pos- 
sible to  remove  any  obstruction.    The  men  in  terror 

52 


REV.    DAVID   ROOD 


ENTERING  THE  WORK  53 

dared  not  get  out  of  the  wagon  and  run.  On  the 
elephants  came,  stopped  for  a  moment,  tipped  the 
wagon  to  one  side,  and  marched  past.  No  one  was 
hurt,  nor  was  the  wagon  badly  damaged. 

I  had  a  horse  to  ride,  and  as  I  went  about,  becom- 
ing more  accustomed  to  the  language  and  people  and 
seeing  the  many  children  with  their  parents,  in 
heathen  homes,  I  still  felt  that  I  wished  to  work 
very  directly  for  them,  instead  of  spending  all  my 
time  in  schools  and  for  those  at  the  station. 

A  daughter  of  Dr.  Willard  Parker,  of  New  York 
City,  had  come  to  the  mission  as  the  wife  of  Rev. 
Charles  Lloyd.  He  lived  only  about  two  years.  They 
had  been  located  at  Umvoti,  where  she  remained 
for  a  few  years  after  his  death,  doing  faithful  and 
devoted  service,  being  most  interested  in  the  kraal 
people.  She  worked  for  them  as  she  could,  holding 
services  and  having  some  of  the  children  taught  on 
week  days. 

After  she  left  there  was  no  one  to  continue  that 
work,  and  it  was  a  good  deal  run  down,  yet  it  had 
been  a  helpful  start  before  I  went  there,  for  which 
I  was  grateful,  as  I  also  was  for  her  loving  sympathy 
with  the  kraal  work  as  long  as  she  lived,  and  which 
was  helpfully  continued  for  many  years  by  her 
mother,  Mrs.  Willard  Parker,  who,  with  other 
friends  of  hers,  sent  me  money  for  a  very  neat  little 
memorial  church  to  be  built  near  where  she  began 
the  first  school  for  the  kraal  children.  It  stands  on 
a  gently  sloping  hill,  is  built  of  brick,  has  a  nice  bell, 
and  cost,  in  all,  three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds. 
There  is  now  a  graded  school  at  that  place,  which 


54        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

receives  a  grant  from  the  government.  On  Sunday 
a  good  congregation  meets  for  the  service  and  Sun- 
day School.  Besides,  prayer  and  other  meetings 
are  held  through  the  week.  It  was  at  this  out-station 
that  Hobeana  attended  service.  His  story  will  be 
told  later. 

With  a  native  boy  from  the  station  to  look  after 
my  horse,  I  soon  lost  all  fear  of  going  to  the  kraals. 
For  miles  about  they  knew  of  the  station  and  its 
workers,  which  made  it  quite  safe  for  me  to  visit 
them,  and  they  always  seemed  pleased  to  see  me. 

Although  they  have  many  bad  customs,  yet  they 
have  remarkable  boundaries  of  conduct  and  respect, 
which  an  old-fashioned  Zulu  would  never  step  over. 
In  these  later  years,  as  I  have  mentioned  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter,  some  of  the  natives  are  being  greatly 
corrupted  in  the  towns,  mines,  and  other  places,  by 
rum  and  the  influence  of  bad,  white  people. 

While  a  missionary  should  be  friendly  and  willing 
to  do  anything  which  is  necessary  for  the  good  of 
the  native,  yet  it  is  well  to  remember  that  a  too 
familiar  person,  or  an  impatient,  irritable  one,  never 
really  gains  a  Zulu's  respect. 

As  soon  as  I  could  use  enough  of  the  language,  I 
began,  with  a  native  young  man  or  woman  from  the 
station  who  could  read,  to  hold  little  services  for 
the  people,  and  schools  for  the  children,  under  trees 
and  at  the  kraals,  a  few  miles  away  in  various  direc- 
tions. Sometimes  grown  people  came  to  the  schools, 
and  often  little  girls  with  their  baby  brothers  or  sis- 
ters tied  on  their  backs,  in  a  goat  skin.  After  a 
time  I  could,  in  some  places,  induce  the  people  to 


ENTERING  THE  WORK  55 

help  build  a  school-house  of  reeds  with  mud  for 
plaster,  and  thatch  for  roof.  A  door,  a  window,  a 
table,  and  some  benches  made  from  hewn  logs  with 
legs  put  in,  gave  us  a  cooler  and  more  comfortable 
place  for  the  day  schools  and  for  services  on  Sunday, 
than  under  a  tree. 

In  an  evening  school  at  the  station,  I  taught  and 
trained  Christian  young  men  to  teach  such  schools, 
and,  as  often  as  I  could,  visited  and  helped  them  with 
their  work.  The  missionary  had  a  class  for  men, 
who  took  the  out-station  services  on  Sunday,  he 
also  sometimes  going  with  them. 

The  children  who  came  to  school  from  the  kraals 
did  not,  at  first,  wear  much  but  a  few  bead  ornaments 
and  occasionally  a  small  blanket.  Friends  in  America 
sent  me  shirts  for  the  boys  and  simple  dresses  for 
the  girls.  Those  they  wore  while  in  school,  but  did 
not  take  them  home.  They  were  left  in  care  of  the 
teacher.  Every  few  weeks  the  children  took  them 
to  the  river,  were  given  soap  and  there  washed  them. 
They  all  wanted  to  have  clothes,  and  by  weeding  and 
in  some  other  ways,  would  earn  a  little  money  to 
buy  a  garment  for  themselves,  often  before  many 
months  passed. 

Sometimes  a  father  would  come  with  a  stick  in 
his  hand  on  which  were  carefully  cut  notches.  When 
I  visited  the  school  he  would  show  them  to  me,  and 
say,  "  My  child  has  worked  for  you  so  many  days 
in  coming  here  to  learn  from  a  book.  What  are  you 
going  to  pay  me  ?  "  It  is  many  years  since  anything 
of  that  kind  has  been  done.  They  now  understand 
how  much  an  education  means  to  them  and  for  their 


56        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

children.  The  great  difificulty  in  these  later  years, 
is  to  get  teachers  in  sufficient  numbers,  who  are  well- 
trained,  to  teach  in  the  fast-increasing  day  schools. 

On  Saturdays  I  had,  on  the  veranda  of  the  mission- 
house,  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  girls  of  all  sizes, 
learning  to  sew.  As  the  schools  grew,  it  was  no 
small  task  to  get  the  work  ready  and  teach  so  many, 
even  with  one  or  two  native  girls,  more  advanced, 
to  help.  Friends  in  America  rendered  great  assist- 
ance by  sending  basted  patchwork  and  basted  gar- 
ments, for  this  sewing  school.  I  had  them  put 
stripes  around  the  skirts  of  the  dresses  to  show  their 
advancement  in  school.  Grades  One,  Two,  Three. 
They  had  three  stripes  when  they  could  read  the 
Testament,  and  the  boys  had  long-sleeved  shirts. 

There  were  meetings,  classes,  visiting,  and  other 
work  on  the  station,  which  I  was  glad  to  help  about 
when  I  could. 

At  Christmas  time  the  weather  was  always  ex- 
tremely hot,  and  the  schools  closed.  I  did  not  try 
to  have  anything  then  for  the  children.  But  in  June, 
when  the  weather  was  cool  and  pleasant,  I  had  a  tree 
and  "  Christmas  "  for  all  the  children  at  the  station 
and  out-stations.  It  was  an  interesting,  yes,  and  a 
beautiful  sight,  too,  to  see  over  three  hundred  chil- 
dren dressed  and  marching  up  through  the  syringa 
avenue  to  the  house,  singing,  and  then  to  the  great 
tree  near  the  church,  where  the  picnic  was  held.  I 
often  found  that  I  was  wiping  away  tears  that  I 
could  not  keep  back,  as  they  passed.  Singing,  recita- 
tions of  chapters  from  the  Testament  and  other 
recitations,     speeches,    with    food    and    plenty    of 


ENTERING  THE  WORK  57 

oranges,  were  enjoyed  by  all.  Then  came  the  Christ- 
mas tree,  with  stories  of  the  Christ  Child,  in  the 
church.  Friends  in  America  for  many  years  sent  me 
presents  for  those  trees.  There  was  always  some- 
thing for  each  child,  with  a  small  bag  of  candy.  In 
that  way  those  friends  did  a  most  helpful  mission 
work  for  the  Zulus. 


VI 

KRAAL  WOMEN 

I  BEGAN  meetings  for  the  women,  in  the  kraals, 
with  great  difficulty.  A  Christian  woman  from 
the  station  was  induced  to  undertake  the  work 
with  me.  She  could  not  believe  that  a  heathen 
woman,  in  a  kraal,  married,  settled  down  and  with 
children,  could  become  a  Christian,  if  she  had  not 
been  instructed  as  she  herself  was  when  a  child. 
"  Oh,"  said  she,  "  Inkosazana,  you  cannot  under- 
stand how  hard  and  dead  their  hearts  are.  They  are 
so  buried  that  the  truth  cannot  get  to  them." 

We  would  send  word  to  the  chief  woman  of  a 
kraal  that  we  wished  to  have  a  meeting  in  her  hut, 
on  a  certain  afternoon,  and  desired  the  women  in 
the  neighbourhood  to  come  to  it.  Usually,  we  would 
find  the  hut  swept,  and  tidied  up,  the  day  of  the 
meeting.  For  a  few  times  the  women  would  come 
out  of  curiosity,  more  than  for  any  other  reason. 

As  each  stooped  to  pass  through  the  little  door, 
not  more  than  two  or  two  and  a  half  feet  high,  they 
would  always  turn  to  the  left  and  move  along  close 
to  the  inside  wall  of  the  room,  if  many  were  there, 
until  they  were  within  two  or  three  feet  of  the  door. 
There  was  a  superstitious  reason  for  this.  The  men 
always  turned  to  the  right  when  they  came  in,  and 
the  seat  nearest  the  door  is  taken  by  the  chief  man 

68 


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m^^^^^^^^^KBf'-^  ^ 

^^^^^^^^H 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Vj^^_  "***  J 

HH^H 

^^^^^^^^^Hk^^'  m 

^^^^B 

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|y| 

^^I^^^^ShH 

ZULU    WOMAN 


KRAAL  WOMEN  69 

of  a  kraal  or  tribe.  The  first  time  that  I  went  into 
a  hut,  they  laid  down  a  mat,  giving  me  that  seat, 
and  always  continued  to  do  so,  when  I  visited  them. 
Many  times  a  head  man  or  chief,  has  gotten  up  to 
give  it  to  me. 

After  I  was  seated,  when  he  was  still  standing, 
he  would  say,  "  Sakabona,  Inkosazana,"  then  all  the 
others  in  turn  would  say  the  same.  He  would  sit 
down  nearer  the  middle  of  the  room.  They  would 
have  given  up  that  seat  if  any  lady  of  our  mission 
had  gone  into  the  hut.  When  there  were  not  too 
many  people,  it  was  cooler  and  more  quiet,  tO'  have 
the  meeting  in  a  hut,  instead  of  under  a  tree. 

The  women  would  sit  in  a  row,  or  in  rows,  around 
the  hut,  with  their  babies  in  their  arms,  or  strapped 
on  their  backs.  All  sorts  of  questions  they  would 
ask  about  my  clothes,  gloves,  hairpins,  etc.  I  would 
wait  for  them  to  care  for  their  babies  and  take  a 
pinch  of  snuff  all  around,  which  I  could  not  at  such 
a  time  ask  them  to  give  up,  after  which  we  would 
get  quiet  and  begin  the  meeting,  with  a  hymn  and 
prayer.  Then  we  would  ask  them  what  they  remem- 
bered of  last  week's  meeting.  It  was  months  before 
we  could  get  them  to  admit  that  they  remembered 
a  word.  Finally  one  would  venture  to  tell  a  little. 
This  would  encourage  another,  and  so  on,  until  a 
great  deal  of  the  Bible  story  of  the  week  before 
was  told. 

Then  we  would  tell  them  another,  very  plain  and 
short,  usually  from  the  New  Testament.  After  a 
hymn  and  prayer  and  teaching  a  verse  of  Scripture, 
the  meeting  would  close. 


60        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

For  more  than  a  year  we  kept  up  such  meetings, 
with  apparently  little  result.  The  weather  was  often 
very  hot  and  most  trying  to  me  for  such  work. 

One  day  I  did  not  take  my  horse,  but  walked  with 
the  Bible  woman,  so  that  we  might  talk  by  the  way. 
I  became  very  tired.  There  was  no  shade  where 
we  could  rest  from  the  burning  heat  of  the  sun. 
With  my  umbrella  over  me,  I  sat  down  on  the  grass 
by  the  path,  and  shall  never  forget  how  tired  and 
discouraged  I  felt.  I  began  talking  discouragingly 
to  my  helper,  a  thing  I  had  never  done  before.  I 
said,  "  It  is  hard,  so  hard,  to  work  like  this,  and  I 
see  that  it  is  as  you  told  me ;  heathen  women's  hearts 
are  too  dead  and  deeply  buried  in  the  things  of  this 
world  and  sin,  to  see  and  accept  the  truths  of  the 
Gospel."  To  my  astonishment  she  replied,  "  You 
must  not  say  that,  Inkosazana,  I  see  differently  than 
I  did  at  first.  Light  is  creeping  into  their  minds 
and  hearts.  I  hear  them  often  talking  together  of 
what  they  have  heard  at  the  meetings.  Don't  get 
discouraged ;  wait  and  you  will  see."  A  gleam  of 
happiness  and  strength  came  back  to  me,  as  we  went 
on  to  the  kraal,  where  the  meeting  was  to  be  held. 

The  hut  was  large,  quite  tidy,  and  much  cooler 
than  outside.  We  were  early.  They  gave  me  a 
clean  mat.  I  asked  to  be  left  alone  for  a  quiet  little 
rest  until  the  women  came.  God  seemed  very  near 
to  me  in  that  heathen  hut.  I  love  to  visit  beautiful 
cathedrals  and  greatly  enjoy  their  beauty  and  music, 
but  God  can  be  no  nearer  to  a  person  there  than  in 
a  kraal  home. 

When  the  women  began  to  arrive,  I  felt  rested 


KRAAL    WOMEN  61 

and  refreshed,  both  bodily  and  spiritually.  As  I 
commenced  to  talk  to  them,  I  had  more  freedom  in 
speaking  their  language,  than  I  ever  had  had  before. 
The  women  were  hushed  as  I  talked  to  them  of 
Jesus  and  His  love.  The  room  seemed  filled  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Master.  When  the  meeting  closed, 
I  sat  quietly  while  the  women,  one  by  one,  went 
softly  out  without  a  word.  Soon  I  heard  low  voices 
back  of  the  hut.  One  woman  was  saying  to  another, 
"  If  this  is  true,  that  Inkosazana  has  told  us,  and  I 
begin  to  believe  that  it  is,  what  are  we  going  to  do? 
What  can  we  do  ?  " 

As  I  went  out,  there  were  groups  of  two  or  three, 
all  about  the  place,  talking  in  low  tones,  much  the 
same  way.  With  a  word  here  and  there,  as  the  sun 
was  setting,  we  started  for  home.  A  number  of  the 
women  accompanied  me  to  the  little  brook  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill,  all  the  time  talking  and  trying  to 
excuse  themselves  from  becoming  Christians,  be- 
cause of  some  hindrance,  which  seemed  to  them  to  be 
too  hard  to  overcome. 

As  they  turned  back  to  their  homes,  down  the 
hill  came  the  Bible  woman  with  a  beaming  face.  She 
was  hastening  to  catch  up  with  me.  When  she  did 
so,  she  said,  "  Inkosazana,  these  women's  hearts 
are  not  too  hidden  and  hard  for  the  Spirit  of  God 
to  get  in  to  give  them  light  and  teach  them  His 
truth.     He  is  coming,  coming  to  them." 

For  quite  a  time  before  this,  I  had  noticed  an 
old  woman  who  frequently  came  to  the  meetings. 
She  always  sat  near  a  large  post  inside  the  hut. 
When  I  was  talking  she  would  work  her  head  and 


62        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

body  around  on  my  side  of  the  post,  so  that  she  could 
get  near  and  look  very  closely  into  my  face.  If  I 
smiled,  she  would  draw  back  with  an  uninterested 
and  annoyed  look.  If  I  spoke  to  her,  she  would 
say,  "  How  can  I  understand?  I  am  an  old  woman 
and  what  you  say  may  be  true,  but  it  just  goes  in 
one  ear  and  out  of  the  other,  as  it  would  out  of  any 
old  Zulu  woman's,"  and  she  gave  each  a  little  tap 
with  her  hand,  first  on  one  and  then  on  the  other  ear, 
so  after  that  I  tried  not  to  let  her  see  when  I 
noticed  her. 

A  missionary  lady  was  with  me  one  day,  at  a 
meeting,  and  was  greatly  impressed  by  this  woman's 
intense  and  interested  face. 

Not  long  afterward,  the  Bible  woman  came  to  me 
and  said,  "  Inkosazana,  I  have  some  wonderful  news 
to  tell  you.  That  old  woman  who  used  to  sit  by  the 
post  and  listen  so  earnestly,  died  last  night.  She  has 
not  been  ill  very  long.  Before  she  died,  she  called 
her  sons  and  all  the  chief  men  to  come  and  see  her." 
She  was  an  important  and  much  respected  woman 
in  the  tribe.  "  I  have  words  to  say  to  you,"  said 
she.  "  You  know  of  the  meetings  for  the  women 
in  the  kraals,  that  Inkosazana  and  the  Bible  woman 
have  been  holding.  Well,  I  believe  that  it  is  true, 
the  story  they  have  told  us  of  Jesus ;  how  he  came 
to  earth  and  is  Son  of  the  Great  One,  who  made  all 
things.  I  pray  a  little,  but  I  do  not  know  if  He 
hears  me.  I  am  an  old  woman  and  cannot  under- 
stand very  well,  but  I  am  asking  Him  to  hear  and 
help  me.  Yes,  women  have  souls,  and  so  have  you 
men.     Many  of  your  wives  are  not  old.     They  can 


KRAAL  WOMEN  63 

understand  and  learn  the  way  of  salvation.  I  want 
you  men  to  help  and  encourage  them,  to  go  to  the 
meetings,  that  they  may  have  a  chance  and  learn 
the  way  and  be  sure,  quite  sure,  and  know  of  Jesus 
Christ,  who  died  for  those  who  trust  Him.  Soon 
after  that  she  died. 

Her  words  and  death  made  a  marked  impression 
on  her  friends  and  neighbours,  besides  many  others, 
and  greatly  helped  the  kraal  work.  Words  spoken, 
under  such  circumstances,  are  always  respected  and 
repeated,  so  kraal  meetings  for  women  became  very 
popular  and  many,  I  trust,  were  directly  and  indi- 
rectly influenced  to  become  Christians.  The  meet- 
ings also  helped  the  kraal  day  schools,  and  God's 
blessing  continued  with  us. 

A  woman  who  had  shown  little  interest  at  the 
meetings,  came  and  urged  me  to  go  and  see  her 
brother,  who  was  very  ill,  and  lived  some  miles  away. 
She  had  tried  to  tell  him,  she  said,  of  Jesus,  but  her 
brother  wanted  to  know  more  than  she  knew  or 
could  tell.  It  was  a  long,  hot  ride  to  the  kraal,  and 
no  good  place  to  rest  when  we  got  there.  The  Bible 
woman,  "  Upahlekaze,"  was  with  me.  We  found 
the  man  in  the  last  stages  of  consumption.  Very 
earnestly  he  began  to  talk  to  me  of  the  new  way,  that 
his  sister  had  told  him  of. 

For  a  number  of  years  the  natives  had  needed  to 
get  passes  in  South  Africa,  when  going  from  one 
place  to  another,  out  of  their  own  county.  This  man 
had  heard  a  little  of  the  home  and  country  of  the 
soul.  He  knew  that  his  days  on  earth  were  few. 
With  an  eager  face,  that  I  never  can  forget,  he  begged 


64        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

me  to  tell  him  how  he  could  get  a  "  pass  "  to  that 
land.  Quite  simply  I  told  him  the  old,  old  story  of 
Jesus  and  His  love  for  the  world,  of  the  cross,  and 
redemption  from  sin;  that  Jesus  was  my  pass  and 
could  be  his  also ;  I  could  not  enter  into  the  prom- 
ised land  until  I  accepted  His  love,  His  salvation ; 
that  He  came  to  the  world  to  give  redemption  to  all 
people,  who  repented  of  their  sins  and  trusted  Him 
to  be  their  Guide  and  King.  And  so,  in  the  plainest 
ways  I  could,  I  answered  his  questions  and  tried  to 
comfort  and  help  him.  The  Bible  woman  also  talked. 
Then  we  knelt  down  in  the  shadow  of  the  hut,  with 
others  about,  as  we  asked  the  Giver  of  all  things, 
for  this  man;  that  he  might  find  light  and  receive 
the  "  pass  "  to  go  through  the  Valley  and  Shadow 
of  Death,  fearing  no  evil,  because  of  the  Christ,  who 
would  be  with  him.  The  man  was  intelligent,  with 
an  eager  mind  for  the  Truth.  He  and  the  others 
thanked  us  many  times,  for  coming,  and  begged  us 
to  come  again. 

The  sun  was  very  hot,  and  I  did  not  like  to  drink 
the  water  there.  They  brought  me  a  sweet  potato 
nicely  roasted  in  the  ashes.  I  sat  in  the  shadow  of 
another  hut  and  let  it  cool  on  a  dish.  Then  I  ate  it; 
it  was  nice  and  refreshing,  although  there  was  no 
salt.  As  we  said  good-bye,  I  told  the  man  I  would 
come  again,  if  I  could,  but  in  the  meantime  would 
send  a  Christian  man  from  the  station  to  read  and 
explain  from  the  Book  in  which  Jesus'  words  are 
written.  A  bright  look  was  on  his  face  as  he  told  me 
how  his  heart  rejoiced  to  hear  the  good  tidings,  and 
that  he,  too,  could  pray  to  the  Great  One.    So  I  rode 


KRAAL  WOMEN  65 

away,  never  again  to  see  him  on  earth,  as  he  died  not 
many  days  after  that ;  but  I  prayed  all  the  way  home 
for  the  man,  and  thanked  God  for  permitting  me  to 
go  to  Africa  to  work  for  the  Zulus. 

Near  our  bridle  path  a  little  stream  of  water  went 
singing  over  the  rocks,  shaded  by  trees,  while  green 
hills  on  either  side^  dotted  with  beautiful  flowers, 
came  down  to  the  edge  of  the  water.  Some  of  the 
flowers  were  very  fragrant,  but  most  of  them  had 
no  perfume  at  all.  The  valley  broadened  as  we  came 
within  half  a  mile  of  one  of  my  out-station  school- 
houses.  The  sun  was  nearly  down,  when,  in  perfect 
unison,  a  strange,  weird  sound  of  many  voices  came 
to  our  ears.  Looking  some  distance  ahead,  high  up 
the  side  of  the  hill,  we  saw  more  than  fifty  people  at 
a  kraal,  singing  one  of  their  old  war  songs  as  they 
practiced  and  were  drilled  in  a  favourite  dance.  They 
did  not  see  us,  or  the  primitive  charm  would  have 
been  broken.  Most  of  the  dancers  were  men,  and 
all  moved  their  hands  and  arms  steadily  and  in  per- 
fect harmony  with  the  chant.  It  was  indeed  a 
strange  spectacular  sight  in  the  golden  light  of  the 
setting  sun. 


VII 

UNOMQAWE  AND  OTHER  KRAAL  WOMEN 

THERE  was  a  trying  epidemic  of  fever  five  or 
six  miles  from  us,  near  the  sea.  It  was  prob- 
ably caused  by  drinking  bad  water;  a  num- 
ber of  persons  took  it  and  some  had  died. 

A  girl  from  there  lived  with  friends  on  the  sta- 
tion for  awhile  and  was  in  my  Sunday  School  class. 
She  was  at  home  when  the  fever  broke  out,  and  tak- 
ing it,  became  very  ill.  One  rainy  morning  her  uncle, 
from  the  station,  came,  begging  me  to  go  and  see 
her,  and  said  he  would  accompany  me.  The  mis- 
sionary was  not  at  home.  I  very  much  disliked  to 
go.  It  was  at  least  six  miles  away,  with  no  civilized 
people  or  dwelling  nearer  than  the  station. 

Covering  myself  with  a  waterproof  and  cap,  I 
started,  the  rain  beating  in  my  face  as  I  got  on  my 
horse.  The  man  carried  a  few  things  that  might  be 
needed  for  the  sick  girl.  When  we  reached  the 
kraal,  which  was  quite  a  good-sized  one,  most  of 
the  people  had  left  for  fear  of  the  fever. 

One  man,  a  very  old,  childish  woman,  and  a  small 
child,  for  which  she  cared,  were  all  that  remained, 
besides  the  sick  girl,  who  was  nearly  dying,  and 
scarcely  knew  me  at  first.  I  did  what  I  could  for 
her;  she  revived  a  little  and  became  more  conscious, 
though  she  was  very  weak,  as  the  fever  was  turning. 

66 


UNOMQAWE  67 

I  remained  most  of  the  day.  After  leaving  very 
strict  directions  that  she  must  be  kept  quiet,  warm, 
and  given  nourishment  often,  a  Httle  at  a  time,  I  told 
them  I  would  try  to  come  the  next  day  and  bring  a 
woman  from  the  station  with  me.  The  following 
morning  was  still  damp  and  chilly.  We  found  the 
girl  much  worse,  and  evidently  dying.  They  had 
taken  ofif  the  good  blanket  which  I  had  insisted  they 
must  keep  over  her,  and  put  in  its  place  an  old, 
thin  one.  I  at  once  found  the  good  blanket  and  cov- 
ered her  with  it.  She  knew  me  and  was  pleased. 
She  suffered  much  for  lack  of  breath,  and  needed  to 
be  frequently  raised.  The  woman  from  the  station 
was  afraid  of  the  fever  and  did  not  like  to  stay  in 
the  hut.  The  man,  too,  was  afraid,  but  he  was  her 
uncle,  and,  as  the  girl's  father  was  dead,  if  she  lived 
and  married,  he  would  have  had  her  dowry  of  ten 
head  of  cattle.  He  would  slip  out  of  the  room  every 
chance  he  could  get.  Many  times  when  she  was  more 
quiet,  I  went  out  to  hunt  him  up  and  urge  him 
back  to  care  for  her  and  hold  her  up  when  necessary. 
For  a  while  I  sat  with  my  back  near  to  the  door, 
so  he  could  not  slip  by  me. 

As  the  end  was  very  near  for  the  poor  girl,  I  saw 
that  he  was  quietly  drawing  ofif  the  blanket.  I,  as 
quietly,  held  it  down  on  the  other  side.  At  last  he 
said,  "  Ingubuyami  "  (it  is  my  blanket).  In  a  low 
voice  I  said  in  Zulu,  "  No,  it  is  mine  just  now,"  and 
held  on.  Soon  she  breathed  her  last.  Then  I  took 
the  blanket  and  said,  "  Take  it,  do  what  you  like 
with  it."    He  took  it  away,  and  with  it,  himself. 

The  woman  from  the  station  then  came  in  and 


68        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

did  very  kindly  and  nicely  what  needed  to  be  done. 
The  room  was  made  tidy,  the  body  laid  on  a  clean 
mat,  and  a  sheet  that  I  had  brought  was  spread 
over  all.  This  was  nearly  done  when  the  man  came 
back  with  a  little  stool  in  his  hand.  He  placed  it 
near  the  door,  sat  down  and  began  a  great  wail. 
When  that  had  gone  on  a  few  minutes,  about  as  long 
as  I  could  stand,  I  went  up  to  him,  and  said  "  Kwa- 
nela  "  (enough).  At  once  he  stopped,  took  up  his 
stool  and  went  out.  I  can  see  now  the  Indian  Ocean, 
the  fog,  the  rain,  and  the  lonely  place,  as  I  went 
out  to  go  home.  The  man  came  to  put  me  on  my 
horse.  As  he  did  so,  his  only  word  of  thanks  was, 
in  a  sympathizing  tone,  "  The  child  of  the  white  man 
will  get  wet." 

A  Zulu  asks  many  questions  that  are  sometimes 
very  difficult  to  answer,  partly  because  of  their  little 
knowledge  of  a  Supreme  Being,  and  of  the  lack  of 
Bible  words  and  terms,  although  their  vocabulary  is 
large  and  rich  for  many  other  subjects.  There  are 
practically  no  words  for  the  name  of  God  or  for  the 
Holy  Spirit.  At  first  a  word  was  borrowed  for  the 
former  name,  which  the  missionaries,  working  in 
another  tribe,  had  used,  but  in  the  last  revision  of 
the  Zulu  Bible  it  has  been  decided  to  use  a  Zulu 
word  which  seems  to  have  a  more  spiritual  signifi- 
cance than  any  other  to  be  found  in  that  language. 

Once  in  a  kraal  meeting  for  women,  I  remember 
speaking  to  them  of  Heaven  as  the  home  of  God 
and  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  who  had  for  a  time  lived 
here  on  earth  in  a  human  body.  How  He  suffered 
and  died,  but  rose  from  the  dead,  was  seen  by  many 


UNOMQAWE  69 

people  and  ascended  into  Heaven,  His  home.  How 
He  sees  us,  knows  us,  and  cares  about  us  now,  and 
if  we  obey  Him  and  trust  Him,  some  day  He  will 
take  us  to  His  own  heavenly  home. 

A  heathen  woman  who  had  been  listening  very 
attentively,  said,  "  Oh,  Inkosazana,  tell  us  what 
Heaven  is  like."  For  a  moment  I  thought  how  diffi- 
cult it  would  be  for  me  to  find  words  to  explain  to 
her  so  that  she  could  understand  much  about  Heaven, 
when  I,  too,  knew  so  little  of  that  promised  land, 
save  that  God,  Jesus,  and  the  redeemed  would  be 
there,  and  sin,  sorrow,  and  tears  would  be  no  more. 
But  how  little  she  knew  of  God !  I  was  perplexed 
and  breathed  a  prayer  for  wisdom.  I  remembered 
how  Jesus,  when  He  was  on  earth,  made  use  of 
everyday  things,  such  as  the  people  knew  of,  when 
He  was  teaching  them  His  truths.  Suddenly  there 
came  to  me  an  illustration  that  I  had  never  before 
used,  which  I  hoped  might  help  to  give  clearer 
thought  to  those  women.  The  Zulus  and  other  tribes 
also,  dig  large  pits  in  the  ground  in  dry  places,  where 
the  rain  can  easily  run  off.  The  hole  is  very  small 
at  the  top  (about  a  foot  in  diameter),  it  then  bulges 
out  at  the  sides,  being  made  smaller  again  at  the 
bottom,  which  is  often  quite  deep.  The  ground  is 
raised  about  the  mouth,  then  made  hard  and  smeared. 
A  large,  flat  stone  is  used  to  cover  it.  Inside,  the 
walls  are  carefully  pounded  hard  and  made  smooth. 
Such  places  are  used  for  storing  grain  to  keep  it 
away  from  weevils  and  other  insects.  Otherwise 
every  kernel  would  be  stung  and  become  only  a 
hollow  shell,  if  left  in  the  open  air  for  a  few  months 


70        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

and  not  put  into  an  air-tight  tank  or  such  bins  as  I 
have  here  described.  Often  these  are  made  to  hold 
two  or  three  hundred  bushels  of  grain.  When  empty 
they  form  a  good-sized  round  room.  If  one  is  small 
enough  to  get  in,  or  if  by  accident  one  were  to  fall 
in,  it  would  be  impossible  to  get  out  without  help. 

I  said  to  the  woman,  "  Suppose  a  child  were  to  be 
born  in  an  '  umgode  wombila  '  (pit  for  corn),  and 
that  he  should  have  care  and  food  provided  for  him 
as  he  grew  to  years  of  maturity  there.  Suppose  that 
people  were  to  come  to  him  and  talk  with  him,  but 
did  not  try  to  help  him  out ;  '  for,'  they  might  say, 
'  He  has  plenty  to  eat  and  drink  and  a  place  to  sleep ; 
why  should  he  not  be  contented  ? '  He  might  hear 
them  speak  of  the  green  grass  outside,  the  trees,  the 
birds,  the  flowers,  the  beasts,  the  sun,  the  moon,  and 
stars ;  and  perhaps  he  might  ask,  '  What  is  the  green 
of  the  grass  like,  and  the  flowers — what  are  their 
colours?  What  are  trees  and  birds  and  beasts?  What 
is  the  sun?.  Tell  me  about  the  moon  and  stars?' 
And  they  might  try  to  help  him  to  understand  about 
these  things,  but  they  would  fail,  because  he  had 
lived  there  all  his  life  in  the  darkness. 

"  Then  suppose  that  some  day  another'  visitor 
should  come  to  him;  that  a  kindly  hand  should  be 
extended  to  him  and  a  tender  voice  say :  '  Listen : 
take  hold  of  my  hand;  cling  tightly;  I  will  hold  you 
fast  and  will  lift  you  into  the  light,  out  of  this  place 
where  you  have  lived  so  long  with  little  light  or 
knowledge :  then  you  will  see  and  know  about  those 
things  which  are  now  so  hard  for  you  to  under- 
stand ! '     Surely,  this  would  be  good  news.     How 


UNOMQAWE  71 

gladly  would  he  reach  out  to  grasp  that  friendly- 
hand  !  How  tightly  would  he  cling  to  it  until  he  was 
lifted  from  his  glimmering  light  to  the  green  grass, 
where  he  could  see  the  birds,  the  trees,  the  flowers, 
the  sky,  and  many  other  things  that  before  he  could 
not  understand  about.  So  to  us  all  who  live  here 
in  this  world  of  sin  and  sorrow,  with  needed  light, 
which  means  knowledge  to  know  about  many  things 
that  we  cannot  see  with  these  eyes,  or  hear  with 
these  ears,  or  rightly  understand,  till  we  are  helped 
to  find  God,  and  He  speaks  to  our  hearts.  Jesus 
came  to  help  us,  as  I  have  told  you,  and  to  lift  us 
out  of  our  darkened  minds  and  give  light  to  our 
sinful  hearts. 

"  If  we  will  Hsten  and  heed  His  teaching  and  His 
voice,  which  is  the  hand  extended  to  us,  we  will 
grow  more  and  more  into  His  light  and  knowledge, 
and  see  and  trust  Him.  Then  some  day  He  will  take 
us  to  His  own  heavenly  home,  where  we  shall  see  for 
ourselves  and  know  what  it  is  like.  In  His  word 
we  are  told  that  it  is  very  beautiful,  that  there  is  no 
sin  or  sorrow  there,  and  God  will  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  the  eyes  of  those,  who,  trusting  Jesus  to 
help  them,  have  been  lifted  into  th^  light  of  the 
Great  One  who  made  Heaven  and  earth  and  gave  im- 
mortal souls  to  white  and  black  people  in  every  land." 

One  beautiful  winter's  day,  which  was  about  like 
a  fine  October  one  in  New  York,  we  were  to  have 
a  kraal  meeting  off  toward  the  Indian  Ocean.  When 
we  reached  the  place,  a  number  of  women  had  ar- 
rived.   We  heard  that  a  woman  was  there  who  had 


72        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

been  ill  for  a  long  time.  I  said,  "  Can  we  not  have 
the  meeting  in  her  hut?"  A  strange  look  came 
into  their  faces.  The  Bible  woman  whispered  to 
me,  "  They  have  a  superstitious  fear  to  go  in  there, 
because  she  has  been  ill  many  months,  ever  since 
her  last  baby  was  born."  I  learned  afterwards  that 
there  was  nothing  at  all  contagious  about  her  disease. 
We  had  a  large  meeting  in  another  woman's  hut. 
After  that  I  went  to  see  the  one  who  was  sick. 

The  sun  was  getting  far  to  the  west,  as  I  entered 
the  low  door,  coming  in  out  of  the  bright  sunshine. 
I  could  at  first  see  very  little  of  what  was  in  the 
room.  Gradually  I  saw  two  bright,  piercing  eyes 
and  the  extended  hand  of  a  woman,  who  was  lying 
on  a  mat.  "  Oh,"  said  she,  "  Inkosazana,  how  glad 
I  am  to  see  you !  The  women  were  afraid  to  come 
in  and  have  the  meeting  here."  I  took  her  hand  and 
sat  down  by  her  side.  As  she  tightly  held  mine,  she 
continued.  "  You  know  about  medicine,  I  have 
heard  that  you  do.  Can  you  not  give  me  something 
that  will  help  me  to  get  well?  Do  you  see  those 
children  who  are  playing  outside  by  the  door?  They 
are  my  children.  If  I  die,  the  people  will  take  me 
to  the  hill  over  there,  and  put  me  in  a  hole  and  cover 
me  up,  and  then,  never  after  that  speak  to  the  chil- 
dren of  their  mother.  They  will  grow  up  and 
scarcely  remember  that  they  had  a  mother  who  loved 
them.  Oh !  if  you  only  would  give  me  some  medi- 
cine so  that  I  could  live  until  they  grow  a  little  larger 
and  old  enough  to  remember  me.  A  cow  has  been 
slaughtered  to  appease  the  wrath  of  our  ancestors. 
This  and  that  native  doctor  has  come.    I  have  taken 


UNOMQAWE  73 

their  medicines,  and  you  see  nothing  has  done  me 
any  good.  There  are  my  children  " ;  and  she  tight- 
ened her  hold  on  my  hand.  "  I  will  take  any  medi- 
cine, Inkosazana,  that  you  may  give  me,  however 
bitter  or  bad  it  may  be,  if  it  will  only  help  me  to  live 
a  little  longer  for  them.  I  beg  you  give  me  your 
medicine  and  try,  oh,  try  to  make  me  well !  "  With 
an  earnest  prayer  that  God  would  help  me  to  guide 
and  comfort  this  woman,  I  said,  "  Yes,  I  know  a 
Great  Physician  whose  medicine  can  help  you.  Your 
body  has  slowly  wasted  away,  since  you  have  been 
ill,  and  still  you  think  and  understand.  So  your  hands, 
feet,  and  all  your  body  may  waste  away,  but  that 
part  of  you  which  knows  and  thinks  and  loves  your 
children,  your  soul,  your  very  self,  may  have  a  new 
body  and  live  on  forever  in  another  land;  the  home 
of  Jesus,  the  Great  Physician,  that  I  want  you  to 
know  about — a  land  far  better  than  this,  where  your 
children,  if  they  become  followers  of  Jesus,  may 
also  live  and  you  may  see  them  there.  His  medi- 
cine is,  believe,  love,  trust,  and  obey.  He  has  been 
here  on  earth  and  lived  in  a  body  like  yours  and 
mine.  Many  people  saw  Him  and  heard  His  words. 
They  loved  Him,  trusted  Him,  and  He  healed  and 
comforted  many. 

"  Then  wicked  men  were  jealous  of  Him.  Their 
hatred  was  great  and  they  put  Him  to  death,  but 
He  arose  from  the  dead,  and  for  a  number  of  days 
was  seen  by  many  people  and  talked  with  them. 
After  that  they  saw  Him  go  away  up  beyond  the 
sun  and  stars ;  but  He  still  cares  for  all  people,  white 
or  black,  as  when  He  was  here  on  the  earth.     He 


74        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

hears  us  if  we  speak  to  Him,  and  sees  us.  We  shall 
see  Him  in  that  heavenly  land.  He  also  sends  his 
messengers  to  help  and  comfort  us.  You  and  I 
cannot  see  the  sun  now,  which  is  going  down  beyond 
the  Indian  Ocean,  because  we  are  in  this  hut,  which 
shuts  it  from  our  view,  yet  we  know  that  it  is  there, 
as  light  from  it  is  still  coming  into  this  room.  So 
the  spirit  of  God,  of  Jesus  Christ,  can  come  into 
your  heart  and  into  the  hearts  of  others,  and  give 
new  light,  new  knowledge,  to  help  you  understand 
the  truth,  that  Jesus,  the  Great  Physician,  is  your 
friend  and  Saviour.  He  knows  about  you.  He  loves 
you,  and  will  hear  you  when  you  pray  to  Him." 

Over  and  over,  I  tried  to  make  more  simple  and 
plain  to  her  the  story  of  the  Cross.  Still  tightly 
holding  my  hand,  she  said,  "  Will  you  not  speak  to 
the  Great  Physican  for  me?  I  am  a  poor,  ignorant 
woman.  How  can  I  speak  with  words  that  are 
right,  so  that  He  will  hear  me  ?  " 

God  seemed  very  near,  as  we  spoke  to  Him  in  the 
quiet,  humble  room  of  that  dying  woman,  who,  I 
trust,  was  beginning  to  see  the  Light.  "  Oh !  teach 
me,"  said  she,  "  to  pray.  Words  that  would  be 
fit,  if  only  a  few,  that  I  may  speak  to  Him."  Some- 
thing like  this  I  taught  her :  "  Dear  Lord,  give  me, 
I  pray  Thee,  Thy  Holy  Spirit,  so  that  I  may  under- 
stand and  open  my  heart  to  receive  and  trust  Jesus, 
the  Great  Physician,  as  my  Saviour  and  friend." 
Many  times  she  said  this  prayer  after  me.  When, 
with  difficulty,  I  released  my  hand  from  hers,  and 
with  a  quiet  good-bye  left  the  room,  she  was  still 
softly  repeating  the  prayer,  in  the  twilight. 


UNOMQAWE  75 

The  sky  as  I  went  home  was  golden  and  beautiful. 
All  nature  seemed  to  speak  of  God.  I  sent  a  Chris- 
tian woman  a  few  times  to  comfort  and  talk  with 
her,  but  I  did  not  again  see  her,  as  she  only  lived  a 
few  days  after  that. 


VIII 

BASUTOLAND 

BASUTOLAND  joins  the  northwestern  part 
of  Natal,  and  has  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
noted  missions  in  South  Africa,  the  French- 
Protestant.  They  have  the  old  Huguenot  faith,  cour- 
age, and  perseverance,  with  a  deeply  spiritual  trust 
in  God,  under  all  circumstances.  Their  work  has 
branched  out  into  near  and  far  away  places,  includ- 
ing the  Banyai  Mission  and  the  Berotse,  north  of  the 
Zambezi. 

In  the  early  years,  as  well  as  later,  the  Boers  and 
Basutus  had  frequent  wars,  not  unlike  those  between 
the  Boers  and  other  tribes,  which  again  and  again 
greatly  hindered  mission  work  in  South  Africa. 

At  one  time  the  French  missionaries  were  obliged 
to  take  refuge  in  Natal,  and  the  Rev.  Francis  Coil- 
lard,  of  that  mission,  lived  and  worked  at  one  of  our 
stations  for  three  years.  Sesutu,  the  language  of 
the  Basutus,  is  a  little  like  the  Zulu,  being  one  of  the 
Bantu  dialects.  He  soon  learned  to  speak  it,  and  it 
was  a  very  great  help  to  him  in  his  travels  among 
other  tribes,  in  after  years. 

He  was  a  young  man  when  in  Natal,  and  nothing 
was  then  known  of  the  Berotse,  and  no  one  dreamed 
that  some  day  his  name  would  be  held  in  little  less 
regard  than  that  of  Dr.  David  Livingstone,  as  one 

76 


BASUTOLAND  77 

of  the  great  missionary  pioneers  of  South  Africa. 
His  book,  "  On  the  Threshold  of  Central  Africa," 
is  most  thrilling  and  interesting,  telling  of  the  jour- 
ney of  over  a  thousand  miles  with  Mrs.  Coillard, 
in  an  ox  wagon,  and  of  life  beyond  the  great  and 
wonderful  Victoria  Falls,  on  the  Zambezi,  where 
they  established  the  Berotse  Mission,  and  where 
now  those  people  have  a  Christian  King. 

While  with  our  mission,  he  became  very  suddenly 
and  seriously  ill.  The  nearest  doctor  was  forty  miles 
away,  at  the  seaport  town,  Durban.  It  was  the  rainy 
season  and  all  the  rivers  were  flooded;  there  were 
no  bridges  then  in  that  part  of  the  country.  A  native 
messenger  was  sent  and  as  soon  as  possible,  the 
doctor,  an  old  friend,  came,  he  and  his  horse  having 
been  obliged  to  swim  two  or  three  rivers.  Mr.  But- 
ler, of  our  mission,  had,  a  few  years  before,  when 
crossing  one  of  the  rivers  on  that  coast,  been  nearly 
dragged  from  his  horse,  and  badly  bitten  by  a  croco- 
dile. 

The  doctor  found  Mr.  Coillard  in  so  critical  a  con- 
dition, he  felt  there  was  little  he  could  do  to  help 
him.  "  But,"  said  he,  "  if  I  only  had  a  few  drops 
of  Croton  oil  here,  I  might  save  his  life."  Rev.  Mr. 
Rood,  who  was  helping  to  care  for  the  sick  friend, 
remembered  that  at  his  station,  fifteen  miles  away, 
there  was  a  small  bottle  in  which  were  a  few  drops 
of  that  oil.  It  had  never  been  opened,  having  been 
left,  with  other  medicines,  by  the  late  Dr.  Adams,  of 
our  mission,  who  had  died  a  number  of  years  before. 
Mr.  Rood  got  on  his  horse  and  rode  the  fifteen  miles, 
and  was  back  within  a  few  hours,  bringing  the  pre- 


78        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

cious  medicine,  which,  with  God's  blessing,  saved  Mr. 
Coillard's  Hfe  for  the  great  work  which  he  after- 
ward accomplished.  Most  calmly  and  quietly  he 
waited  for  the  doctor  to  come,  and  then  for  the  medi- 
cine, knowing  all  the  time  how  serious  his  case  was. 

Some  years  after  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coillard  had  re- 
turned to  their  own  work  in  Basutuland,  and  before 
they  went  to  the  Berotse,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rood  de- 
cided to  accept  their  urgent  invitation  to  pay  them 
a  visit.  I  was  invited  to  accompany  them,  and  was 
much  pleased  to  do  so.  It  was  a  trip  of  over  two 
hundred  miles,  at  the  opening  of  the  winter  season 
in  South  Africa. 

We  had  a  wagonette,  drawn  by  twelve  oxen.  In 
that  we  travelled  by  day,  and  at  night  it  was  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Rood's  sleeping  room.  We  also  had  a 
covered  cart,  drawn  by  six  oxen ;  this  was  for  part 
of  the  luggage,  and  for  my  sleeping  room.  Our 
native  drivers  and  boys  had  a  tent  where  they  ate 
and  slept.  We  carried  with  us  a  supply  of  food,  and 
replenished  our  stock  at  villages,  wayside  stores,  or 
Dutch  farms,  outspanning  sometimes  two  or  three 
hours  in  the  middle  of  the  day  for  the  oxen  to  eat 
and  rest.  We  cooked  by  the  side  of  our  wagon, 
and,  when  pleasant,  sat  on  mats  or  the  grass,  to  eat. 
The  air  was  bracing,  and  our  appetites  daily  im- 
proved. We  went  through  Pietermaritzburg,  the 
capital  of  Natal,  about  fifty  miles  from  the  coast. 
It  was  quite  a  city,  but  not  so  large  or  as  beautiful 
as  Durban.  Further  on,  we  passed  through  Colenso 
and  Ladysmith,  both  noted  places,  later,  in  the  Boer 
war. 


BASUTOLAND  79 

Our  road  was  a  government  highway  for  the  most 
part  and  fairly  good.  We  went  up  some  steep  hills, 
while  all  the  time  we  were  gradually  ascending. 
There  were  great  stretches  of  highland,  almost  tree- 
less. Here  and  there  a  clump  of  trees  had  been 
planted.  Now,  there  are  many  hundred  acres  of 
eucalyptus  and  wattle  trees.  The  latter  grows 
quickly  and  yields  large  crops  of  valuable  bark. 

The  atmosphere  was  so  clear  we  could  see  great 
distances.  There  were  deep  rivers,  not  very  broad. 
Often  we  scarcely  saw  them  till  we  were  on  their 
banks;  these  were  sometimes  nearly  perpendicular, 
and,  after  going  down,  there  was  a  plunge  into  the 
deep  water,  where  the  oxen  sometimes  had  to  swim. 
Once  we  were  obliged  to  wait  two  days  for  the  water 
to  go  down,  before  crossing. 

At  last,  we  were  in  sight  of  the  great  Drakensberg 
mountains,  a  range  that  runs  parallel  with,  and 
about  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from,  the  Indian 
Ocean.  They  are  very  grand,  and  the  view  from 
them  extensive  and  beautiful.  The  highest  point  is 
10,367  feet. 

As  we  came  along  the  green  highland,  at  their 
foot,  we  saw  what  appeared  to  be  a  very  large  flock 
of  sheep,  not  a  mile  away.  We  wondered  if  a  num- 
ber of  Dutch  farmers  were  herding  their  flocks 
together.  They  ate  on  and  did  not  seem  to  mind 
our  approach.  When  we  were  within  a  quarter  of 
a  mile,  we  could  see  plainly  that  they  were  not  sheep, 
but  a  large  herd  of  spring-bok.  They  are  very  hand- 
some and  graceful  animals,  taking  their  name  from 
their  habit  of  springing,  straight  into  the  air,  when 


80        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

excited.  Their  backs  and  sides  are  of  a  pale  cinna- 
mon brown  color,  the  under  parts  a  clear,  snowy 
white,  and  between  these  colours  runs  a  band  of 
darker  shade.  Their  faces  are  white,  with  a  brown 
band  from  the  eyes  to  the  mouth,  and  a  wedge- 
shaped  mark  of  brown  on  the  forehead.  A  charac- 
teristic marking  is  a  peculiar  fold  of  the  skin  across 
the  haunches,  beginning  near  the  middle  of  the 
back.  It  is  lined  with  long  hair  of  the  purest  white. 
When  the  animal  is  quiet,  it  is  nearly  invisible,  but 
in  running  they  expand  it,  so  there  appears  a  white 
mark  on  the  hinder  part  of  the  back,  that  has  a 
very  curious  efifect.  In  the  dry  season  they  come 
down  from  the  mountain  in  search  of  green  grass, 
which  is  not  abundant  at  that  time  higher  up.  Those 
going  ahead  in  the  flocks  get  fat,  while  those  behind 
are  very  lean.  When  they  turn  to  new  pastures,  the 
lean  ones  go  first  and  the  others  stay  behind,  taking 
their  turn  at  the  leavings. 

We  thought  there  must  be  at  least  three  thousand 
in  this  flock.  I  ventured  to  say  so,  to  a  Wesleyan 
minister,  when  we  had  gone  up  the  mountains,  and 
beyond  to  the  pretty  town  of  Harrismith,  where  he 
lived  and  preached  to  a  congregation  of  English 
people.  "  Oh,"  said  he,  "  you  need  not  be  afraid  to 
say  three  thousand ;  that  herd  comes  down  every 
year;  I  have  seen  it  a  number  of  times.  There  are 
over  five  thousand  in  it.  No  one  is  allowed  to  shoot 
one ;  they  all  go  back  in  the  spring."  Before  there 
was  a  law  to  prevent  their  being  killed,  very  hand- 
some robes  were  made  of  their  skins.  I  was  able  to 
procure  one  to  send  home,  in  which  are  eight  skins. 


BASUTOLAND  81 

There  are  terrific  thunderstorms  in  South  Africa, 
and  when  travelHng  in  an  ox  wagon  it  is  not  safe  to 
go  on,  while  one  is  passing  over.  The  chain  to 
which  the  oxen  are  yol<ed  endangers  them,  as  well 
as  the  wagon.  I  can  never  forget  such  a  storm  that 
came  on  us,  as  we  were  spending  the  night  under  the 
Drakensberg.  The  frequent,  vivid  lightning  and 
the  constant  echo  and  re-echo  of  the  thunder  from 
the  mountains,  was  very  terrible. 

For  a  few  days  we  travelled  in  the  Orange  Free 
State,  which  adjoins  both  Natal  and  Basutoland. 
Here  we  more  frequently  passed  Boer  farms.  Word 
somehow  went  on  ahead  that  we  were  missionaries, 
so  when  we  outspanned,  the  people  would  ride  up 
on  their  horses,  often  from  quite  far  away,  to  ask 
for  medicine,  to  get  a  tooth  pulled,  or  beg  us  to  go 
and  see  a  sick  person. 

One  woman  we  went  to  see  was  very  ill,  but  we 
found  her  sitting  up  in  an  extremely  large  arm 
chair.  She  was  the  broadest  and  most  fleshy  woman 
that  I  ever  saw.  By  her  side  was  a  very  fine  old 
coflfee-urn,  with  charcoal  fixtures.  I  presume  it  had 
been  brought  from  Holland,  many  years  before. 

There  was  very  little  furniture  in  the  house,  which 
was  small,  although  I  am  quite  sure  that  they  were 
far  from  being  poor,  if  sheep,  cattle,  and  horses  count 
for  wealth. 

The  woman's  complexion  was  clear  and  light,  her 
eyes  and  hair  dark.  When  young,  I  think  she  must 
have  been  fine  looking,  as  many  of  the  Boer  girls 
are. 

Mr.  Rood  had  a  small  medicine  chest  with  him, 


82        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

and  in  it  just  what  was  needed  for  her.  They  were 
very  grateful.  In  the  evening  many  came  to  our 
camp  for  medicine  and  to  have  teeth  pulled.  They 
gave  us  potatoes,  watermelons,  milk,  and  delicious 
brown  bread,  made  from  wheat,  which  grows  well 
in  that  part  of  the  country.  They  grind  it  in  small 
handmills. 

On  our  return,  ten  days  later,  we  again  outspanned 
in  the  same  place.  The  woman  was  much  better. 
Many  came  to  see  us.  Mr.  Rood  gave  them  medi- 
cine, and  pulled  twenty  teeth. 

At  another  outspan,  two  or  three  Boer  wagons 
were  stopping  a  few  rods  away.  Some  children 
played  about,  in  their  quaint  sun  bonnets,  with  their 
dresses  almost  to  their  ankles.  The  Boer  men  had 
been  away  and  rode  up  on  horseback.  One  was,  we 
judged,  the  father  of  a  sweet-faced  little  girl,  not 
more  than  ten  years  of  age.  As  he  dismounted,  he 
had  in  his  hand  a  riding  whip,  the  kind  called  sjam- 
bock.  He  went  up  to  the  child  and  struck  her  three 
or  four  times  with  that  ugly  whip.  The  sight  was 
sickening.  The  poor  little  thing  cried  bitterly,  and 
went  by  herself,  behind  the  wagon  until  they  left. 
No  woman  came  to  comfort  or  speak  to  her.  Neither 
she  nor  the  others  would  have  understood  a  word 
had  we  tried  to  speak  to  them.  That  man  looked 
as  if  he  might  have  been,  and  I  think  he  was,  of  the 
class  of  South  African  Boers  who  like  to  live  far 
inland,  away  from  civilization,  where  he  could  have 
freedom  to  live  and  treat,  not  only  his  own  family, 
but  the  native  people,  as  he  chooses. 

Charles  Kingsley  once  said :  "  There  are  two  kinds 


BASUTOLAND  83 

of  freedom,  the  false,  where  a  man  is  free  to  do 
what  he  hkes;  the  true,  where  a  man  is  free  to  do 
what  he  ought." 

A  few  days  from  Harrismith,  we  reached  Lerebe, 
Mr.  Coillard's  pleasant  home  and  station,  in  Basuto- 
land,  where  a  very  warm  welcome  awaited  us.  The 
people  were  pleased  and  interested  in  seeing  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Rood,  as  they  said  he  had  saved  the  life  of 
their  missionary.  In  the  afternoon  a  meeting  was 
held,  to  welcome  us,  and  we  listened  to  a  fine  address 
from  one  of  the  people,  which  was  so  hearty,  so  lov- 
ing and  good,  it  made  us  feel  that  much  of  God's 
spirit  was  there,  and  that  we  were  with  congenial 
friends  and  earnest  Christians. 

A  number  of  the  leading  men  were  tall  and  fine- 
looking.  Some  of  them  belonged  to  the  royal  family. 
The  chief  lived  only  a  mile  or  two  from  the  station. 
He  was  not  a  Christian,  but  dressed  in  European 
clothes,  and  had  a  good  house,  built  of  stone.  A 
number  of  the  rooms  were  furnished  in  a  civilized 
way,  with  nice  linen,  silver,  glass,  and  china  for  the 
dining-room,  where  he  entertained  the  English 
officers  and  others  in  fine  style.  He,  like  some  other 
heathen  chiefs  in  Africa,  wished  to  be  on  good 
terms  with  the  missionary,  and  occasionally  came 
to  church,  yet  he  did  not  like  his  wives,  or  others 
of  his  people,  to  become  Christians.  However,  a 
good  many  were  converted,  and  among  them  some 
of  his  wives.  One  was  his  favourite  wife,  an  in- 
telligent, interesting  woman.  He  was  very  angry 
when  he  heard  of  it. 

One  Sunday  morning  he  called  her  to  him  in  the 


84        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

large  courtyard,  and  said,  "  I  hear  that  you  pray." 
"  It  is  true,"  repHed  she ;  "  I  want  to  know  and  follow 
the  Saviour,  Jesus."  In  a  rage  he  answered,  "  Dare 
you  tell  me  that?  I  will  strike  you  to  the  ground 
with  this  club !  I  will  kill  you  before  you  shall  be- 
come a  Christian."  Said  she,  "  I  know  you  are  my 
husband  and  my  chief;  you  can  kill  this  body,  but 
you  cannot  kill  my  soul.  I  have  a  Father  and  a 
Saviour  in  heaven.  I  fear  to  displease  them  more 
than  I  fear  to  displease  you."  He  raised  the  club 
to  strike  her.  In  an  agony  of  prayer  to  her  Father 
in  Heaven,  the  poor  woman  fell  at  the  feet  of  the 
enraged  man.  His  hand  dropped  at  his  side,  his 
voice  changed,  as  he  said,  "  Go  away,  go  away,  pray 
on ;  and  when  you  pray  to  your  God,  pray  for  me !  " 

She  went  to  her  father,  who  was  a  heathen  man. 
He  was  greatly  displeased  that  his  daughter  should 
have  left  the  chief  and  come  back  to  him.  He  had 
received  a  dowry  for  her  of  forty  head  of  cattle, 
which  he  did  not  wish  to  return.  But  the  woman 
was  so  determined  to  live  a  Christian  life,  and  so 
earnest,  she  at  last  induced  her  old  heathen  father 
to  give  up  the  cattle.  Then  she  was  no  longer  the 
wife  of  the  chief.  But,  had  she  cared  to  marry 
again,  custom  would  not  have  allowed  her  to  do  so. 
I  often  saw  her,  and  two  or  three  times  we  went 
together  to  see  the  people.  She  was  refined,  and  so 
sensible,  I  enjoyed  talking  with  her.  She  became  a 
Bible  woman  and  was  a  great  help  and  comfort  in 
the  work. 

This  mission,  like  ours  to  the  Zulus,  is  strict  in 
regard  to  admitting  members  to  the  church.     One 


BASUTOLAND  85 

must  have  professed  Christianity  at  least  two  years; 
if  not  too  old,  must  be  able  to  read  the  Testament, 
and  show  that  he  wishes  to  help  and  teach  others, 
before  being  admitted. 

It  was  surprising  to  see,  not  only  the  number  of 
men  who  could  read,  but  also  the  number  of  women, 
some  of  them  quite  aged.  No  church  member  was 
allowed  to  be  absent  from  prayer,  or  other  religious 
meetings  of  their  church  more  than  two  or  three 
times,  without  being  inquired  after  and  called  upon 
to  give  a  reason  for  absence.  There  were  about  one 
hundred  church  members  at  that  station,  and  three 
thousand  in  the  mission,  fifteen  missionaries,  and 
sixty-four  native  helpers.  The  contribution  from 
the  people,  that  year,  was  between  three  and  four 
thousand  dollars.  Besides  the  station  day  schools, 
there  was  a  training  school  for  girls,  and  also  one 
for  boys. 

At  the  time  of  the  greatest  Boer  and  native  war 
in  Basutoland,  when  Mr.  Coillard  was  in  our  mis- 
sion, the  people,  as  well  as  the  missionaries,  were 
driven  from  their  stations,  being  greatly  distressed 
and  cast  down.  Once,  while  hiding  in  the  mountains 
not  many  miles  from  their  homes,  they  gathered  one 
Sabbath  near  a  large  rock,  determined  to  hold  a 
little  service  for  united  prayer.  The  heathen  people, 
hearing  of  this,  also  came  to  see  what  the  Christians 
would  do  in  their  great  trouble. 

One  of  the  oldest  members  of  the  church  tried 
to  open  the  meeting  with  prayer,  but  could  not  ex- 
press his  feelings  much  more  than  by  sobs  and  tears. 
The  Christians,  also  unable  to  control  their  feelings, 


86        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

united  with  him  in  that  troubled  prayer  for  help. 
The  heathen  became  frightened,  and  ran  to  get  away. 
The  Christians  being  left  alone,  the  Lord  drew  very 
near  to  them,  and  at  that  time  began  a  revival  which 
was  a  wonderful  work  of  grace.  In  their  sorrow, 
they  were  greatly  strengthened  and  grew  to  rely  upon 
God  as  they  never  had  before. 

Many  of  the  heathen  were  truly  converted  and 
joined  them  in  their  homeless  lives,  until  the  war 
was  over.  So  the  work  continued  to  grow  and  ex- 
tend, as  the  years  went  by,  not  only  in  Basutoland, 
but  to  the  far  away  Banyai  and  Berotse,  although 
there  were  again  and  again  sad  hindrances  caused 
by  wars  and  their  corrupt,  demoralizing  influences. 

Mr.  Coillard  told  me  that  he  first  began  to  hear 
about  those  tribes  who  could  speak  the  Sesutu  lan- 
guage when  men  came  from  them  to  work  at  the 
diamond  fields. 

The  first  South  American  diamonds  were  found 
in  1867.  A  Boer,  plastering  his  house  with  mud, 
found  a  good-sized  pebble,  and  some  smaller  ones, 
that  looked  peculiar.  He  gave  them  to  his  children 
to  play  with.  A  sharper  man  came  along,  guessed 
what  they  were,  bought  them  for  a  small  sum,  and 
took  them  away.  I  remember  that  very  soon  after 
my  arrival  the  country  ran  wild  with  diamond  dis- 
coveries. There  was  a  great  rush  for  what  is  now 
Kimberley.  It  is  five  hundred  miles  from  the  coast 
in  Natal,  but  many  went  there  on  foot,  others  on 
horseback  or  in  ox  wagons.  They  fell  over  each 
other  to  reach  the  place  as  soon  as  possible.  Often 
they  had  little  or  no  shelter  by  the  way,  or  when 


BASUTOLAND  87 

they  reached  there.    Food  was  very  scarce,  and  sold 
for  unheard-of  prices. 

The  dust  storms  were  terrible.     I  have  heard  a 
lady  tell  that  she  could  not  make  bread  because  of 
the  dust,  unless  she  got  into  a  packing  case,  covered 
with  a  sheet,  while  she  mixed  it.     She  and  her  hus- 
band went  there  from  Natal  in  an  ox  wagon,  and 
lived  in  it  after  they  reached  the  mine.    They  made 
a  fortune.     I  have  seen  a  beautiful  diamond,  which 
she  found  in  a  chicken's  crop,  and  had  set  in  a  ring. 
A  gentleman  whom  I  knew  came  down  from  the 
mines  with  a  large  fortune  tied  up  in  a  handkerchief. 
He  asked  me  if  I  would  not  like  him  to  fill  my  hand 
so  I  could  see  them  better;  but  my  hand  could  not 
hold  half  of   them.     Each  year,   before   the  great 
European  war,  half  a  ton  of  diamonds  were  taken 
from  the  mines.    One  of  the  largest  diamonds  known 
was  found  at  the  Premier  mine,  a  long  way  east  of 
Kimberley,  the  Cullion.     That  mine  has  only  been 
open  twelve  or  fourteen  years,  but,  like  the  older 
places,  is  fast  becoming  a  large  city  with  fine  build- 
ings, broad,  well-paved  streets,  streets  cars,  electric 
lights,  and  10,000  white  inhabitants,  with  many  thou- 
sand natives,  who  come  to  work  in  the  mines. 

The  people  of  South  Africa  presented  the  large 
Cullion  diamond  to  King  Edward  VII.  It  originally 
weighed  3,025  carats  (one  and  three-fourths  pounds), 
but  has  been  divided  into  nine  large  brilliants  and 
a  number  of  small  ones,  all  remarkable  for  their 
purity  and  lustre. 

But  we  must  go  back  to  the  early  years  and  Mr. 
Coillard's  station  to  continue  the  story  of  our  visit 


88        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

there.  He  told  us  that  one  evening  he  heard  a  noise 
at  the  door.  When  he  opened  it,  there  stood  three 
men,  strangers,  who  asked  for  food  and  a  place  to 
sleep.  This  was  granted.  They  had  come  from  the 
diamond  mines,  where  they  had  been  working  for 
a  year,  to  get  guns  and  ammunition,  to  take  back 
to  their  homes  in  Barotseland,  which  was  many  hun- 
dred miles  inland,  near  the  Zambezi.  Like  all  others 
working  in  the  diamond  mines,  they  had  been  kept 
very  closely  in  the  compound  and  were  taught  noth- 
ing there  of  Christianity,  or  anything  good  of  civi- 
lization. 

To  his  surprise,  Mr.  Coillard  found  that  they  spoke 
the  Sesutu  language,  and  could  tell  him  much  of  their 
distant  home  and  people,  where  the  Gospel  had 
never  been  heard.  As  they  talked  on  he  said  to 
them,  "  You  have  come  a  long  way,  and  worked  a 
long  time  to  get  what,  to  you,  seems  one  of  the  best 
things  you  could  possibly  have.  But  I  know  of 
something  far  better  for  you  to  take  to  your  home 
than  a  gun."  Eagerly  they  asked  what  the  white 
man  had  which  could  be  better  than  a  gun?  He 
replied,  "  You  have  worked  a  year  for  your  guns ; 
you  could  not  expect  to  give  less  time  to  get  some- 
thing better.  You  would  need  to  stay  and  be  taught 
that  God,  He  who  made  all  things,  still  lives.  He  has 
given  a  book  to  the  world  that  you  can  learn  to 
read  and  understand.  In  it  much  is  told  of  this 
greatest  of  all  things,  which  any  person,  white  or 
black,  may  obtain  if  he  truly  seeks  to  do  so. 
It  would  take  time."  They  were  much  interested, 
and  sat  up  late  to  hear  more.    The  next  morning  they 


BASUTOLAND  89 

were  gone,  before  sunrise.  Two  days  and  a  night 
passed,  when  at  evening  there  was  again  a  knock 
at  the  door,  and  the  missionary  opened  it  to  find 
one  of  the  men  there.  He  had  returned,  he  said, 
to  hear  more,  and  to  get  what  would  be  better  than 
a  gun. 

His  companions  were  very  angry  that  he  wished 
to  go  back,  and  it  was  difficult  to  get  away  from 
them.  Besides,  he  did  not  know  when  there  might 
be  another  chance  to  have  company  on  the  journey 
home.  However,  he  was  determined  to  come  back 
and  stay  awhile,  and  stay  he  did,  until  he  had  learned 
to  read  and  to  find  what,  to  him,  became  far  greater 
than  a  gun.  Then  there  was  a  chance  for  him  to 
return  home  with  others.  He  went,  full  of  earnest 
zeal,  carrying  a  Testament  and  hymnbook.  After 
a  year  or  two  he  came  back  to  be  taught  more,  beg- 
ging the  missionaries  to  send  some  one  with  him  to 
help  teach  the  Berotse.  I  was  much  interested  in 
seeing  him,  and  hearing  about  the  wish  of  the  mis- 
sion to  send  helpers  there. 

There  was  a  beautiful  and  impressive  custom  at 
this  station.  Each  morning,  just  at  sunrise,  came  the 
call,  "  Tapalo,  Tapalo"  (prayer),  which  echoed  softly 
from  hill  to  hill.  Soon  the  people  came  from  all 
directions,  to  the  church,  for  morning  prayers. 

One  day  Mr.  Coillard  said  to  me,  "A  few  of  the 
chief  men  of  my  church  have  come,  and  wish  to 
speak  to  you."  Six  intelligent-looking  Basutu  men 
came  into  the  parlour  with  their  missionary,  as  in- 
terpreter. All  remained  standing,  when  Eliezer,  a 
tall,  fine-appearing  man,  said  something  like  the  fol- 


90        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

lowing :  "  We  are  much  interested  in  seeing  you. 
I  have  asked  our  missionary  many  questions  about 
you.  We  have  never  before  seen  a  white,  unmarried 
lady,  who  had  left  her  father,  mother,  friends,  and 
country  to  teach  the  people  of  Africa.  We  have 
learned  many  things  about  you.  We  see  that  you  are 
not  old,  are  not  deformed,  and  if  you  had  lived  in 
America,  you  might,  no  doubt,  had  you  wished  to 
do  so,  have  married.  We  realize  that  the  women 
of  our  land  are  very  unlike  you,  yet  you  have  given 
up  much,  and  with  gladness,  to  teach  and  to  help 
them  find  a  better  way.  We  know  the  missionary 
and  his  wife  give  up  a  great  deal,  but  they  have  each 
other,  their  homes  and  children.  Some  of  their  chil- 
dren are  grown,  teach  in  the  schools  and  help  in 
the  work  here.  But  you  have  left  all  and  come  to 
this  land.  It  impresses  us  greatly  that  you  have  done 
this.  A  few  Sabbaths  ago  our  missionary  preached 
from  the  text :  '  Give  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,' 
and  we  said,  '  How  can  we  do  that  ? '  We  give  a 
little  money,  and  help  a  little  to  teach  and  preach, 
but  to  give  up  all  and  leave  our  country,  as  you 
have  done.  Oh,  we  have  not  enough  of  the  love  of 
God  in  our  hearts  to  do  that.  We  have  talked  much 
about  it  since  we  have  seen  you,  and  realize  that 
before  becoming  Christians  we  did  not  think  of 
women  as  they  ought  to  be  thought  of,  and  now  we 
wish  in  some  way  to  express  our  appreciation  and 
gratitude  to  you  for  coming  here.  So  will  you  con- 
sider us  not  presuming  if  we  present  to  you  this  little 
token,  which  we  found  in  our  own  mountains,  and 
now  ask  you  to  accept?    Please  always  wear  it,  re- 


BASUTOLAND  91 

membering  that  we  Christian  men  in  Africa  respect 
and  honour  you  for  coming  to  this  land."  A  number 
of  times,  while  talking,  Eliezer  had  put  his  hand 
in  his  pocket.  He  now  drew  out  and  handed  me,  a 
very  peculiar  and  beautiful  stone,  which  I  have  since 
had  set,  in  Boston.  I  am  sorry  to  say  it  was,  by 
accident,  a  good  deal  marred  in  setting. 

A  few  years  later,  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coillard, 
sent  by  their  board,  started  with  native  helpers  in 
ox  wagons,  on  that  wonderful  and  often  roadless 
journey  of  over  a  thousand  miles,  to  carry  the  Gospel 
to  the  Berotse,  Eliezer  offered  himself  to  go  with 
them. 

They  were  very  much  helped  when  passing  through 
the  country  of  that  large  tribe,  the  Bamangwata,  by 
the  chief,  Khama.  When  young,  he  had  been  taught 
by  Dr.  Moffat,  and  became  an  earnest  Christian. 
He  is  now  old  and  feeble ;  but  since  coming  into 
power,  when  a  young  man,  he  has  ruled  the  country 
in  a  civilized  manner.  He  loaned  Mr.  Coillard  and 
his  party  oxen  and  wagons,  replenished  their  stock 
of  food,  and  sent  guides  to  assist  them  on  their  way. 
He  has  established  an  excellent  system  of  schools 
in  his  country.  Roads,  churches,  and  school-houses 
have  been  built.  Beer  and  other  strong  drinks  have 
been  abolished;  also  taking  cattle  for  daughters, 
polygamy,  rain-making,  and  other  heathen  customs. 

Some  years  ago.  Chief  Khama  was  invited  to  visit 
England.  He  went,  and  was  most  kindly  received, 
and  honoured  by  being  presented  to  the  Queen.  A 
good  deal  was  made  of  him  while  he  was  there,  which 
did  not  at  all  turn  his  head.     He  was  glad  to  get 


92        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO  DAY 

back  to  his  own  country  and  people,  where  he  ap- 
peared the  same  courteous  Christian  chief  as  he  had 
been  before  going  away ;  a  decided,  straightforward, 
and  progressive  ruler. 

White  traders,  with  their  families,  gained  per- 
mission from  him  to  live  and  trade  in  his  country, 
on  condition  that  no  strong  drink  would  be  brought 
in,  to  sell  or  give  away.  The  temptation  to  break  this 
agreement  was  too  great  for  the  traders.  They 
thought  that  they  could  deceive  the  chief,  so  slyly 
brought  rum  into  the  country.  Khama  warned  them 
that  he  knew  what  they  were  doing,  and  if  they  per- 
sisted in  their  shameful  trade  he  would  compel  them 
to  leave  the  country.  But  they  did  not  think  he 
would  turn  them  out,  and  after  a  little  time,  began 
again  to  import  rum.  Khama  sent  a  small  company 
of  his  soldiers  to  search  each  trading  station;  rum 
was  found  in  nearly  every  one.  They  rolled  the  kegs 
and  barrels  outside  and  turned  their  poisonous  con- 
tents on  the  ground.  Then  the  chief  called  the  white 
traders  and  said,  "  You  do  not  respect  my  laws  be- 
cause I  am  a  black  man,  but  I  am  chief  in  my  own 
country,  and  I  shall  maintain  them.  I  cannot  trust 
you;  to-day  I  make  an  end  of  trying  to  do  so.  I  am 
striving  to  lead  my  people  to  live  according  to  the 
teaching  of  God's  word,  which  we  have  received  from 
the  white  people,  but  you  white  men  show  them  an 
example  of  wickedness  such  as  we  never  knew. 
Some  of  my  own  brothers  you  have  tempted  with 
this  vile  drink,  and  you  know  that  I  do  not  wish 
them  even  to  see  it,  that  they  may  forget  it,  yet  you 
offer  it  to  them." 


BASUTOLAND  93 

The  chief  had  always  been  kind  to  the  wives  and 
children  of  the  traders,  so  they  sent  them  to  him  to 
beg  that  they  might  have  another  chance  to  stay. 
The  women  said,  "  It  means  ruin  and  starvation  for 
us  and  our  children,  if  you  do  not  allow  us  to  re- 
main." Said  he,  "  I  am  very  sorry  for  you  and  your 
children,  and  the  trouble  this  may  cause  you,  but  I 
am  more  sorry  for  my  country  and  the  thousands  of 
people  for  whom  I  am  responsible,  who  will  be 
ruined,  if  your  husbands  remain  to  sell  them  rum. 
No,  you  must  go.  I  cannot  trust  them,  and  they  can 
never  come  back  as  long  as  I  am  chief."  So  they 
had  to  leave. 

The  Cape  to  Cairo  Railroad  now  passes  through 
the  country  of  the  Bamangwata,  and  I  hear  that, 
greatly  to  the  sorrow  of  Chief  Khama,  the  English 
government  has  insisted  that  license  to  sell  strong 
drink  be  given  on  the  line,  where  trains  stop. 

The  chief  is  now  eighty  years  of  age.  At  the 
capital  of  his  country,  Serowe,  they  have  just 
dedicated,  after  years  of  labour,  a  large  and 
fine  red  limestone  church.  When  the  church  was 
dedicated,  between  15,000  and  20,000  people  were 
present. 

After  weary  months  of  travel,  Mr.  Coillard  and 
his  party  reached  the  great  Zambezi  River,  where 
they  saw  those  magnificent  Victoria  Falls,  which  are 
higher  and  have  a  body  of  water  far  greater  than 
Niagara.  The  river,  there  over  a  mile  wide,  suddenly 
plunges  into  a  cleft,  or  chasm,  four  hundred  feet 
deep,  and  only  from  one  to  three  hundred  feet 
broad,  which  curves  and  winds  in  its  narrow  bed. 


94        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO  DAY 

for  two  miles,  until  it  comes  back  to  within  three 
hundred  yards  of  the  southwest  part  of  the  falls. 

The  Cape  to  Cairo  Railroad,  with  its  wonderful, 
high  bridge,  crosses  the  gorge  a  little  below  the  falls, 
then  goes  west,  but  south  of  the  chasm,  through  the 
narrow  strip  of  land  that  divides  the  bend  of  the 
returning  rapids  from  the  corner  of  the  mad  cata- 
ract. 

The  falls  were  discovered  and  named  by  the  noted 
African  explorer  and  missionary.  Dr.  David  Living- 
stone, in  1855.  The  natives  call  the  falls  "  Musi-wa 
Tunga  "   (Thundering  Smoke). 

A  number  of  Mr.  Coillard's  missionary  party  had 
been  prostrated  by  fever  and  two  or  three  died.  He 
and  a  part  of  the  helpers,  including  Eliezer,  crossed 
the  river  at  a  place  called  Sesheke,  where  the  latter 
was  stricken  with  fever  and  died.  This  was  another 
heavy  blow  to  his  missionary  and  the  expedition. 
Before  his  death,  he  said  to  Mr.  Coillard,  "  I  know 
that  I  cannot  recover,  yet  I  am  very  thankful  to  God 
that  I  have  helped  in  starting  this  mission  to  the 
Berotse,  and  that  we  have  come  as  far  as  this.  My 
tomb  will  be  the  finger  post  for  the  mission ;  the  door 
is  open.  Tell  my  friends  back  in  Basutoland  I  am 
glad  I  came.  Tell  them  also  the  Lord  Jesus  is  just 
as  near  to  us  here  as  He  is  to  them  there."  And 
so  Eliezer  died,  giving  himself  gladly  a  living  sac- 
rifice for  others.  Let  us  not  forget  those  words, 
and  remember  how  the  Lord  Jesus  died  for  the 
people  in  Africa,  and  is  as  near  to  them  as  He  is 
to  those  of  other  and  more  favoured  lands.  But  how 
shall  they  learn  of  the  Christ,  in  that  dark,  neglected 


BASUTOLAND  95 

land,  unless  more  Christian  teachers  and  preachers 
are  sent  to  them? 

People  rush  across  continents  and  sacrifice  much 
to  get  diamonds  and  gold;  but  how  unwilling  they 
are  to  sacrifice  for  that  which  is  far  greater  than 
those,  or  guns. 

Many  I  have  known,  who  made  that  first  rush  for 
diamonds,  have  passed  away.     What  would  it  have 
meant  for  them,  as  well  as  for  Africa,  if  they  had 
seen  the  vision  of  something  greater,  obeyed  it,  and 
been  willing  to  sacrifice  and  work  for  a  better  object, 
as  they  did  for  those  things  which  are  not  enduring? 
If  any  are  inclined  to  doubt  the  capacity  for  im- 
provement of  the  African  races,  let  them  study  the 
history  of   Lewanika,  chief  in   Barotseland  on  the 
Zambezi,  whose  death  is  just  reported.    He  won  his 
chieftainship  by  war  and  the  slaughter  of  his  rivals 
and   their   friends.     Then   came   Mr.    Coillard  and 
made    his    friendship.      Once    his    confidence    was 
gained,   he  asked  the   missionary  to  tell   him  how 
best  to  rule  his  country.    Mr.  Coillard's  answer  was : 
"  Take  the  secret  spear  from  under  your  cloak  and 
throw  it  away;   renounce  vengeance  once   for  all; 
attach  your  people  to  yourself  by  making  their  wel- 
fare your  first  object;  put  a  stop  to  theft;  give  them 
justice,  quiet  sleep  and  good  food  to  eat."    Lewanika 
became  a  Christian.     He  journeyed  to  London  to 
attend  the  Jubilee  celebration  of   Queen  Victoria, 
where  he  was  an  honored  guest.     He  returned  to 
found  schools  for  his  people  and  to  confirm  them  in 
ways  of  peace,  dying  this  present  year,  rejoicing  in 
the  Christian  faith. 


IX 
THE  ZULU   BOY,   VELEMU 

ONE  day  I  sat  at  the  open  window,  behind  a 
thin  curtain,  in  the  mission-house,  while  the 
boys  from  the  day  school  nearby  were  at 
play.  The  game  which  they  played  was  one  that  they 
all  liked,  as  the  boys  in  America  like  to  play  horse. 
Sixteen  or  twenty  oxen  are  used  in  South  Africa,  to 
draw  each  of  the  big  wagons,  so  those  children  played 
ox  instead  of  horse. 

The  large  boys  would  go  and  get  a  good-sized 
limb  of  a  tree,  with  plenty  of  branches,  make  a  strong 
rope  of  grass,  and  tie  it  to  the  butt  end  of  the  limb. 
Then  sixteen  or  more  boys  would  inspan  themselves 
and  take  hold  of  the  rope.  As  many  as  could  do  so, 
would  get  on  the  limb  of  the  tree.  A  boy  would 
have  a  long  whip  with  a  very  long  lash,  which  he 
would  crack  in  the  air  and  say  "  Trek,"  when  away 
all  would  go,  down  the  smooth  hill,  for  quite  a  dis- 
tance, with  great  shouting  and  laughter,  to  the  river. 

In  many  ways  boys  are  much  alike  the  world  over. 
There  are  too  often  those  who  want  to  carry  the 
whip  and  ride,  not  caring  if  other  boys  wish  to  do 
so  or  not,  or  if  they  are  inspanned  and  pulling  all 
the  time. 

The  boys  that  I  am  telling  you  about,  stopped  play- 
ing and  having  a  good  time,  soon  after  I  saw  them, 

96 


THE  ZULU  BOY,  VELE^NIU  97 

that  day.  They  began  quarrelling,  some  standing  on 
the  green  grass,  and  others  sitting  on  the  limb  of  the 
tree.  The  boys  who  had  been  inspanned  the  trip 
before  insisted  that  it  was  their  turn  to  ride.  An- 
other urged  that  it  was  his  turn  to  carry  the  whip. 
There  was  some  loud  talking  and  gestures,  which  the 
Zulu  knows  to  perfection  how  to  make,  without 
striking;  and  they  do  not  all  talk  at  once. 

I  noticed  a  boy  who  stood  a  little  apart  from  the 
others,  and  said  nothing.  He  was  about  ten  years  of 
age,  with  a  delicate,  refined  face,  high  forehead,  was 
neatly  dressed,  and  I  remember  now  how  manly  he 
looked,  as  he  stood  there  in  the  bright  sunshine  that 
day.  After  a  little  he  spoke,  very  quietly,  and  every 
boy  kept  still.  "  Boys,"  said  he,  "  it  is  not  right  to 
quarrel  in  that  way  and  spoil  our  good  time.  It  is 
selfish  to  want  to  ride  and  carry  the  whip  each  trip, 
while  others  draw.  All  ought  to  take  turns.  You 
know  Jesus  sees  us,  and  wants  us  to  be  kind  to  each 
other.  It  says  so  in  His  book.  He  was  not  selfish, 
and  we  should  try  to  be  like  Him.  Now,  you  boys 
ought  to  get  down  from  the  limb  and  inspan, 
while  the  others  ride,  and  another  boy  takes  the 
whip." 

For  a  moment  all  was  still.  Without  a  word  the 
boys  who  had  been  riding  began  slowly  to  get  down 
and  inspan,  the  others  getting  on.  The  boy  dropped 
the  whip,  and  another  took  it  up.  He  cracked  it, 
cried  "  Trek,"  and  away  they  went  again,  with  joy 
and  laughter.  The  name  of  the  little  boy  who  had 
quieted  the  others  was  "  Velemu." 

Not  very  long  before,  he  had  come  to  Umvoti  from 


98        ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

another  station,  with  his  mother  and  stepfather,  who 
were  Christian  people.  He  could  read  the  Testa- 
ment very  nicely,  and  often  visited  and  read  to  old 
people  who  were  unable  to  read.  When  he  was  born, 
his  father  and  mother  lived  in  the  Transvaal,  and 
there  learned  something  about  Christianity.  They 
built  a  little  civilized  house  for  themselves,  and 
dressed,  hoping  some  time  they  could  learn  more, 
and  to  read.  They  heard  of  the  American  mission 
stations,  in  Natal,  and  thought  they  would  try  to  get 
there  after  a  while,  although  it  was  more  than  three 
hundred  miles  away. 

When  Velemu  was  about  a  year  old,  a  dreadful 
sorrow  came  to  the  mother.  The  father  was  taken 
very  ill ;  they  could  get  no  good  doctor,  and  he  died. 
Then  his  heathen  brother  came  and  said  that  Velemu 
and  his  mother  must  come  and  live  in  his  heathen 
kraal,  and  she  be  his  wife.  The  laws  of  the  natives 
and  the  Dutch  government  upheld  this  claim. 

The  mother,  poor  Nozindaba,  was  heart-broken. 
She  had  no  relatives  who  could  help  her,  but  deter- 
mined not  to  be  the  wife  of  that  brother  and  bring 
up  her  child  in  a  heathen  kraal.  She  had  never  been 
in  Natal,  but  knew  that  it  was  very  far  away.  Think- 
ing about  what  she  had  heard  of  the  American  mis- 
sionaries there,  she  almost  frantically  decided  to  find 
them.  She  boiled  some  corn,  and  also  made  native 
bread,  tying  these  in  a  cloth  and  in  the  corner  of  her 
blanket.  Then  she  put  "  Velemu  "  in  a  goat  skin 
and  tied  him  to  her  back.  A  little  after  dark  that 
night,  they  started  for  Natal.  She  was  not  a  large 
or  very  strong  woman,  but  she  travelled  all  night. 


THE  ZULU  BOY,  VELEMU  99 

The  next  day  they  hid  in  bushes,  where  they  rested 
and  slept. 

Then  they  went  on,  often  in  great  fear  of  snalces 
and  wild  animals,  or  of  being  pursued  by  her  hus- 
band's brother  and  his  friends.  Night  after  night 
they  travelled,  and  day  after  day  rested  and  slept, 
until  their  food  was  nearly  gone.  They  then  ate 
very  little  each  day.  There  were  few  roots  or  berries 
which  could  be  found.  At  last,  after  getting  over 
the  border  into  Natal,  the  mother  sometimes  ventured 
to  ask  for  food  at  a  kraal  or  a  Dutch  home. 

They  continued  to  travel  at  night,  as  there  were 
still  many  weary  miles  to  go  before  reaching  the 
coast.  Now  and  then  they  found  a  friendly  person 
who  gave  them  food,  and  referred  them  to  some 
other  friend ;  and  so  they  went  on  until  one  day  they 
reached  the  American  mission  station,  at  Amanzim- 
tote,  where  she  sank  upon  the  doorstep  ill,  and  nearly 
famished.  She  and  her  child  were  taken  into  the 
mission  home,  and  kindly  nursed  and  cared  for. 
There  they  lived  for  a  number  of  years,  but  they  had 
suffered  too  much,  and  neither  of  them  was  ever 
very  strong  again. 

The  heathen  brother  searched  until  he  heard  that 
they  were  in  Natal.  He  came  all  the  way  after  them, 
and  was  determined  to  get  them.  In  terror,  they  did 
not  dare  to  go  out  of  the  yard,  and  often  not  out 
of  the  house.  This  went  on  for  some  time,  the  man 
staying  in  the  neighbourhood. 

At  last  the  missionary  went  to  the  English  magis- 
trate and  told  him  the  woman's  story.  The  magis- 
trate called  the  man,  and  warned  him  if  he  did  not 


100       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

leave  the  country  at  once,  he  would  have  him  im- 
prisoned, and  he  was  never  to  come  into  Natal 
again.  Fortunately,  he  did  not  dare  to  do  other  than 
obey. 

After  six  or  eight  years,  the  woman  married  a 
Christian  man  at  Umvoti,  where  I  was  then  living, 
and  she  and  her  little  son,  "  Velemu,"  came  there  to 
live.  From  the  day  when  I  first  saw  him,  I  was 
greatly  interested  in  the  child.  He  often  came  to  see 
me,  and  I  would  go  to  see  him  and  his  mother,  in  their 
neat,  comfortable  home.  He  liked  best  to  talk  about 
what  he  read  in  the  Testament,  and  what  he  should 
say  to  the  people  to  whom  he  read,  and  others.  There 
were  many  days  when  he  was  not  well  enough  to 
go  to  school,  or  leave  home.  Every  one  loved  him. 
His  strength  slowly  failed,  until  he  was  obliged  to 
keep  to  his  bed  most  of  the  time. 

One  day,  when  I  went  to  see  him,  his  mother  was 
out,  and  he  was  lying  alone  in  his  own  clean,  little 
room.  As  I  came  in,  his  face  brightened,  and  he 
said,  while  I  sat  down  by  him  and  took  his  thin,  little 
hand,  "  I  am  so  glad  that  you  have  come,  Inkosa- 
zana,  and  that  my  mother  is  out,  for  there  is  some- 
thing that  I  wish  to  talk  with  you  about,  while  we 
are  alone.  My  mother  thinks  that  I  am  going  to  get 
well,  but  I  am  sure  that  I  am  not.  She  loves  me 
dearly,  and  I  do  not  like  to  tell  her  and  trouble  her. 
She  went  to  Durban,  the  seaport  town,  and  saw  a 
doctor  there.  He  sent  me  some  red  medicine,  in  a 
bottle.  She  got  me  a  new  pair  of  shoes  and  a  coat. 
I  took  the  medicine,  and  wore  the  shoes  and  coat, 
but  I  did  not  get  any  better.     Then  she  took  me 


THE  ZULU  BOY,  VELEMU  101 

to  Stanger,  five  miles  from  here,  to  see  another 
Enghsh  doctor.  He  gave  me  some  more  red  medi- 
cine, in  a  bottle,  and  some  white  medicine,  and  she 
got  a  hat  for  me.  It  wsls  a  nice  hat,  and  I  have  worn 
it,  and  taken  all  the  medicine,  yet  you  see,  Inkosa- 
zana,  I  do  not  get  any  better.  Now  she  wants  the 
doctor  to  come  over  from  Stanger,  and  operate  on 
me  to  take  the  water  out  of  my  side.  I  know  it  will 
not  do  any  good,  and  I  do  not  want  to  have  it 
done." 

I  said,  "  Your  mother  loves  you  and  you  love  her, 
and  she  wishes  to  do  everything  she  can  to  help  you 
to  get  well,  and  would  not  be  happy  if  she  did  not. 
It  comforts  her,  and  you  want  her  to  be  comforted, 
don't  you?  So  I  think  you  ought  to  be  willing  to 
let  the  doctor  come  and  do  this.  It  will  hurt  you  a 
little,  but  you  will  have  less  pain  afterwards." 
Thoughtfully,  he  said,  "  Yes,  I  want  to  please  my 
mother,  and  if  you  will  come  and  sit  by  me,  and  hold 
my  hand  while  the  doctor  does  that,  I  will  no  longer 
refuse. 

"  Then,  Inkosazana,  there  is  another  thing  I  want 
to  ask  you  about.  I  am  sure  that  I  am  not  going 
to  get  well,  as  I  have  told  you.  I  have  never  gone 
away  with  any  one  but  my  mother.  I  am  almost 
never  away  from  her;  and  my  stepfather,  too,  is 
kind.  I  am  sorry  to  leave  her,  but  I  would  not  be 
afraid  to  go,  if  I  were  sure  that  I  should  see  Jesus, 
who  loves  all  little  children,  as  soon  as  I  cease  to  see 
her.  There  are  a  great  many  little  boys  and  girls  in 
the  world,  and  He  might  not  see  me  at  once,  and  I 
should  be  afraid  alone.     I  have  looked  and  looked 


102       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

in  the  Testament,  to  find  something  about  it,  but  I 
did  not  find  much.    Please  tell  me,  Inkosazana." 

Then  I  said,  "  When  you  cease  to  be  with  your  dear 
mother,  you  will  see  Jesus.  He  will  not  forget  about 
you.  He  remembers  every  little  child  and  has  gone 
to  prepare  a  place  for  those  who  love  Him.  He  has 
promised  to  be  with  them  when  they  go  from  earth 
to  Heaven,  through  the  Valley  of  Death.  He  said, 
'I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you  in  my  Father's 
house.  I  will  come  again  and  receive  you,  that 
where  I  am  there  you  may  be  also.  I  will  not  leave 
you  comfortless.  I  will  come  to  you.  I  will  come 
to  any  one  who  wants  me,  and  opens  the  door  of  his 
heart.'  Dear  little  child,  you  long  ago  opened  your 
heart  to  Jesus.  He  loves  you,  and  you  love  Him." 
So  we  talked  on,  until  he  said,  "  It  is  all  right  now, 
I  will  not  be  afraid.  Yes,  Jesus  loves  me  and  is 
taking  away  the  fear,  because  I  shall  see  Him." 

The  next  day  the  doctor  came.  Without  any  ob- 
jection from  the  child,  the  slight  operation  to  remove 
the  water  from  his  side,  was  performed.  With  a 
scream,  as  the  frail  little  hand  tightened  on  mine, 
he  said,  "  Oh,  son  of  the  white  man,  how  you  do 
hurt  me."  He  was  soon  more  comfortable,  but  only 
lived  a  few  days  after  that. 

He  softly  prayed  much  of  the  time  when  awake. 
If  a  Christian  came  into  the  room  he  would  ask 
him  to  read  or  pray.  If  an  unconverted  person,  he 
would  pray  for  him.  All  night  before  he  died,  he 
was  conscious,  but  scarcely  slept  at  all.  When  he 
could  not  speak  above  a  whisper,  his  lips  would 
move,  and  friends  would  h^ar  him  praying,  as  they 


THE  ZULU  BOY,  VELEMU  103 

bent  to  listen;  praying  for  his  mother  and  friends, 
and  telling  the  Lord  that  he  loved  Him,  and  was  not 
afraid  to  go  and  live  with  Him,  although  he  was 
sorry  to  leave  his  mother,  as  she  would  miss  him 
greatly.  And  so  he  ceased  to  see  his  mother,  as  the 
Lord  took  him  to  Himself,  away  from  sin  and  pain, 
to  His  own  heavenly  home. 


X 

UMVOTI 

AFTER  having  been  in  the  mission  more  than 
twelve  years,  I  wrote  a  friend : 
I  wonder  what  you  know  about  Umvoti? 
We  Hve  in  an  unburned  brick  house.  It  is  plastered 
over,  then  whitewashed;  the  roof  is  of  galvanized 
iron.     The  veranda  runs  nearly  around  it. 

As  I  look  out  of  the  window,  I  see  orange  trees, 
loaded  with  white  blossoms,  although  a  little  of  the 
golden  fruit  is  still  there.  I  have  sometimes  seen, 
hanging  from  the  limbs  of  orange  trees,  as  well  as 
from  others,  beautiful  orchids,  blossoming  on  a  cling- 
ing vine,  or  a  clump  of  foliage. 

Fifty  yards  away,  down  a  little  decline,  just  in 
front,  runs  the  pretty  Umvoti  river  to  the  Indian 
Ocean,  six  miles  distant. 

A  few  rods  back  of  the  house,  is  a  good-sized 
school-house,  of  burned  brick,  where  about  a  hundred 
children  come  every  day,  from  the  Christian  village. 
There  are  two  native  teachers  for  it.  A  part  of  the 
lessons  are  in  English,  the  rest  in  Zulu.  The  sub- 
jects taught  are  much  like  those  in  the  primary 
schools  of  America.  The  children  sing  very  sweetly, 
and  learn  to  read  music  from  the  "  Sol,  Fa  System." 
They  all  dress,  clothed  by  their  parents,  who  live  at 
the  station.    A  little  farther  up,  to  the  right  of  the 

104 


UMVOTI  105 

school-house,  is  a  fine,  large  brick  church,  which  cost 
$6,000,  and  will  seat  about  four  hundred  people. 

None  of  the  money  for  those  two  buildings  came 
from  America.  The  people  grew  sugar  cane ;  from 
it  sugar  was  manufactured  at  the  government  sugar- 
mill  at  Umvoti,  without  charge,  which,  when  sold, 
paid  for  the  building  of  the  church  and  school-house. 

A  quarter  of  a  mile  away  is  the  Christian  village. 
There  are  seventy  or  more  upright  houses,  some  of 
which  are  built  of  reeds  and  plaster,  with  thatched 
roofs,  while  others  are  of  burned  brick  and  iron 
roofs.  There  are  usually  three  or  four  rooms  in 
each  house,  besides  a  detached  kitchen.  A  few  have 
from  five  to  ten  rooms,  with  neat  European  furni- 
ture. In  nearly  all,  there  are  at  least  a  table,  bed- 
stead, and  chairs. 

The  food  of  the  people  is  com,  amabele,  sweet 
potatoes,  sugar,  oranges,  bananas,  amase  (sour 
milk),  sometimes  meat,  and  bread.  A  beer  that  they 
make  from  corn  and  amabele  is  much  used  by  the 
heathen  people  and  some  others,  who  are  half-civi- 
lized, which  does  a  great  deal  of  harm.  They  wash 
their  clothes,  and  ours,  at  the  river  on  the  stones. 
Each  week  I  give  a  woman  the  soap,  starch,  and 
bluing  required,  for  my  clothes,  and  she  brings  them 
back  neatly  washed  and  ironed,  for  which  I  give 
her  an  English  shilling. 

In  the  winter  we  do  not  have  much  rain,  and 
everything  gets  very  brown  and  dry.  The  spring 
now,  in  October,  is  just  opening.  The  hills  and  trees 
are  lovely  in  their  fresh  green  dress. 

We  have  six  out-station  schools,  belonging  to  Um- 


106       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

voti,  besides  the  station  school.  They  are  from  two 
to  six  miles  away,  over  roads  that  are  only  bridle 
paths.  I  go  to  them  on  horseback.  We  have  services 
at  all  these  out-stations  on  the  Sabbath,  and  the  Bible 
women  have  meetings  in  the  kraals  there,  once  a 
week;  I  attend  them  when  I  can. 

On  the  lovely  hills  not  more  than  a  mile  away  are 
kraals  of  the  heathen  people,  and  from  our  veranda 
we  can  see  farther  on,  two  of  the  out-station  school- 
houses. 

Very  interesting  and  impressive  evangelistic  serv- 
ices have,  within  the  year,  been  held  at  this  station, 
and  also  at  some  of  the  other  stations  of  our  mis- 
sion, by  Mr.  David  Russell,  from  Durban.  He  is 
an  earnest,  practical,  Christian  layman,  who  was 
influenced  in  Scotland  by  Mr.  Moody,  and  is  some- 
times called  the  Moody  of  South  Africa.  For  a  long 
time,  until  the  present  year,  there  has  been  an  ap- 
parent deadness  in  the  churches  of  our  mission,  and 
but  few  additions.  Yet  many  could  read  the  Bible, 
and  education  in  various  ways  was  progressing. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  the  service  for  the 
week  of  prayer,  which  our  mission  always  remem- 
bers, was  well  attended.  There  were  also  indications 
of  a  more  thoughtful  state  in  the  minds  of  the  people. 
Following  this,  was  a  visit  to  some  of  our  stations 
of  Dr.  Somerville,  of  Scotland,  a  -noted  Presbyterian 
divine.  His  sermons  greatly  stirred  the  Europeans 
in  Natal,  as  well  as  the  natives  at  our  station.  As 
we  took  the  doctor's  hand  and  looked  into  his  ven- 
erable, intellectual  face,  the  beautiful  story  came  into 
our  minds  that  is  told  of  St.  John,  the  beloved  disci- 


UMVOTI  107 

pie  of  our  Lord,  when  he  visited  the  churches  toward 
the  end  of  his  long  life.  Often  it  lingered  in  my 
thoughts,  as  the  doctor  tarried  in  our  home.  When 
his  voice  rang  out  in  the  church  the  "  Whosoever," 
as  he  spoke  of  the  love  of  Jesus,  then  by  word- 
picture  made  you  see  how  real  it  was,  you  could  not 
help  believing  it  was  very  real  to  him,  and  that  there 
were  riches  he  could  tell  you  how  to  get  which  many 
knew  not  of. 

As  he  spoke  of  sin,  sin  which  we  could  not  get 
away  from,  sins  that  remained,  even  though  our 
lives  were  upright,  and  we  try  to  wash  off  every  stain, 
still,  like  Lady  Macbeth's,  they  would  remain,  as  we 
cry,  "  Will  these  hands  ne'er  be  clean  ?  "  We  shall 
never  forget  the  earnest  way  in  which  he  then  asked, 
"  What  will  you  do  with  sin ;  what  will  you  do  with 
it?  "  or  the  clear  and  expressive  words  that  told  of 
a  Saviour,  who  must  be  obeyed,  but  just  such  a 
loving  Saviour  as  a  lost  and  ruined  world,  like  ours, 
needed. 

Then  he  took  us  in  thought,  to  the  hills  of  Beth- 
lehem, to  the  shepherds  watching  their  flocks  and 
to  the  grandest  concert  the  world  has  ever  known, 
as  the  glad  tidings  were  told,  and  the  great  orchestra 
began  to  sing  when  the  solo  had  reached  the  word 
"  manger."  Then  he  led  us,  as  in  the  still  hour  of 
midnight,  through  the  quiet  streets  of  Bethlehem, 
to  search  for  Jesus  and  to  tell  others  the  glad  tidings. 

Those  who  think  that  carefully  prepared  sermons 
are  not  appreciated  by  Zulu  audiences  would,  I  am 
sure,  have  thought  differently,  had  they  been  with 
us  and  seen  our  crowded  church  and  the  eager,  in- 


108       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

terested  faces  of  the  people,  as  they  listened  for 
nearly  two  hours ;  some  of  them  obliged  to  stand. 

The  doctor  remained  with  us  for  two  days  and 
held  four  services.  Then,  Mr.  Rood,  as  interpreter, 
went  with  him  and  his  party  to  visit  other  stations. 
Mr.  Russell,  whom  I  have  before  mentioned,  was 
with  them.  While  at  Umvoti,  he  became  so  inter- 
ested in  the  natives  and  the  work,  he  accepted  an 
invitation  to  come  later  for  a  longer  period  and  hold 
a  series  of  meetings.  With  great  ease,  adaptation, 
and  power,  he  speaks  through  an  interpreter.  He 
has  a  wonderful  gift  of  bringing  Bible  truths  to  bear 
on  the  minds  of  the  unconverted,  as  well  as  on  those 
of  Christians. 

From  the  first  meeting,  the  spirit  of  God  was 
manifestly  with  us,  touching  the  hearts  of  many. 
The  members  of  the  church  seemed  to  rise  as  with 
new  life,  and  join  heartily  in  the  work?  Some  came 
long  distances,  and  many  sought  salvation  and  for- 
giveness for  their  sins,  through  Jesus  Christ. 

The  quiet,  earnest  prayers,  the  humble  confession 
of  sin,  with  the  desire  to  forsake  it  and  begin  a 
new  and  better  life,  with  Jesus  as  their  friend  and 
Saviour,  was  very  marked,  and  made  us  feel  that 
the  Lord  was  doing  great  things  for  us,  whereof 
we  were  encouraged,  and  very  grateful  to  Him  for 
sending  this  friend  to  help  us.  After  the  meeting 
at  Umvoti,  Mr.  Rood,  who  is  a  fine  interpreter,  ac- 
companied Mr.  Russell,  as  he  had  Dr.  Somerville 
and  party,  to  some  of  the  other  stations,  as  helper, 
where  also  they  had  very  interesting  meetings. 

We  pray  and  trust  that   this   special  awakening 


UMVOTI  109 

may  be  much  more  than  "  the  sound  of  a  going  in 
the  tops  of  the  mulberry  trees,"  for  the  mission  cause 
in  Natal.  God  hears,  and  in  His  own  good  time, 
answers  true  prayer  for  others,  and  for  mission 
work,  although  the  night  of  toil  is  sometimes  very 
long. 

Thus  a  really  great  revival  began  in  the  mission, 
which  has  continued  to  the  present  time,  with 
encouragements  and  discouragements,  but  also  with 
a  steady  growth  of  power  and  influence  for  righteous- 
ness and  uprightness  in  the  churches. 

The  temperance  cause,  too,  was  greatly  helped, 
by  the  stamping  out  of  the  native  beer,  as  well  as 
other  sinful,  heathen  customs,  which  were  creeping 
into  the  churches.  There  was  a  strong  "  Blue  Rib- 
bon "  movement  that  has  done  a  great  deal  of  perma- 
nent good. 

We  cannot  expect  that  in  less  than  a  century  of 
civilization  and  Christianity,  the  Zulus  will  rise  to 
a  higher  grade  of  moral  and  religious  life  than  is 
to  be  found  in  many  churches  where  the  Gospel  has 
been  preached  for  centuries  ;  although  there  is  a  class 
of  people  in  more  favoured  lands,  who  seem  to  ex- 
pect this. 

However,  of  this  I  am  sure,  there  are  as  noble, 
unselfish,  and  earnest  Christians  amongst  the  Zulus 
as  can  be  found  in  any  country.  When  one  considers 
the  age-long  environment  of  body  and  mind  from 
which  a  Zulu  comes  into  God's  great  light  and 
knowledge,  it  is  truly  wonderful  the  change  which, 
in  many  instances,  is  very  apparent  in  him,  after  he 
becomes  a  Christian. 


110       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

With  the  good  influences  of  civilization,  there  is 
also  much  that  is  corrupting  and  confusing  to  the 
native  mind,  aside  from  the  evils  that  are  continually 
about  those  who  work  in  the  mines  at  Kimberley, 
Johannesburg,  and  other  places.  Too  often,  when 
they  return  to  their  homes  in  Natal,  or  other  far- 
away localities,  they  are  worse  than  when  they  left 
them.  Added  to  heathenism  are  vices  before  un- 
known to  this  people. 

Mr.  Russell  has  been  so  often  and  helpfully  con- 
nected with  our  mission,  I  would  like  to  add  here 
a  few  more  words  in  regard  to  him?  It  is  many 
years  now,  since  he  was  ordained  to  the  ministry. 
He  has  been  pastor  over  some  of  the  largest  Pres- 
byterian, as  well  as  Congregational  churches,  for 
Europeans,  in  South  Africa,  and  has  also  continued 
to  hold  evangelistic  services,  when  he  could,  in  vari- 
ous places,  for  both  English  and  natives. 

At  the  time  of  the  "  Men  and  Religion  Move- 
ment "  in  America,  he  was  invited  to  come  here  as 
one  of  the  helpers.  He  joined  the  "  team  "  in  which 
were  Mr.  Raymond  Robbins  and  Mr.  Fred  B.  Smith. 
With  them  he  went  from  East  to  West,  as  well  as 
South,  in  that  campaign.  At  the  time  of  this  writing 
he  is  back  in  Natal,  and,  during  the  past  year,  has 
held  meetings  at  a  number  of  our  mission  stations, 
where  he  is  greatly  respected  and  beloved,  as  he  is 
in  many  parts  of  the  country,  and  by  all  classes  of 
people. 

The  schools  and  out-station  at  Umvoti  continued 
to  grow.    As  the  more  advanced  pupils  were  taught 


UMVOTI  111 

to  read  music,  one  of  the  teachers  at  the  station 
school  trained  them  to  sing  so  well,  a  few  times  con- 
certs were  given,  one  of  the  days  of  the  Christmas 
festival,  to  which  white  colonists  within  five  and 
ten  miles  of  the  station,  were  very  much  pleased  to 
come.  Once  the  cantata  of  "  David,  the  Shepherd 
Boy,"  by  G.  F.  Root,  which  had  been  learned  by  the 
teacher  when  at  the  Boys'  Training  School  of  the 
mission,  was  rendered  with  such  sweetness  and  in 
such  perfect  time,  by  fifty  or  more  of  the  young 
people,  it  gave  great  pleasure  to  all  who  heard  it. 
I  remember  an  English  officer  being  present,  who 
rushed  up  to  me,  after  it  was  over,  and  said,  "  Why 
did  you  not  tell  me;  why  did  you  not  tell  me,  that 
you  could  do  a  thing  like  that  here  ?  It  is  years  since 
I  have  heard  anything  so  beautifully  sung.  What 
voices  these  Zulus  have !  " 

There  was  a  large  class  for  inquirers  needing 
Bible  instruction  at  the  station,  once  or  twice  a  week, 
taught  by  the  missionary  or  myself,  to  which  the 
out-station,  as  well  as  station  people,  came.  Many 
began  the  Christian  life  by  attending  these  meetings, 
getting  help  also  from  services,  conversations,  and 
the  word  of  God,  for  which  they  have  great  rever- 
ence. When  one's  own  words  fail  to  convince  them 
of  what  is  not  right,  a  verse  pointed  out  from  the 
Bible  seldom  fails  of  doing  so.  At  least  they  will 
put  their  hand  to  their  mouth,  shake  the  head  and 
say  no  more.  After  two  or  three  years  of  careful 
instruction,  if  a  person  continues  an  earnest,  active 
Christian,  and  seems  worthy,  he  is  admitted  to 
church  membership. 


112       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

The  services  at  the  out-station  on  Sunday,  as  well 
as  on  week  days,  were  kept  up  with  the  voluntary 
assistance  of  the  church  members  from  the  station. 
Besides,  the  two  faithful  Bible  women,  Tetise  and 
Upahlekaze,  had  a  number  of  meetings  each  week 
with  the  women  at  the  kraals. 

In  one  school  near  which  the  chief  of  a  tribe 
lived,  for  ten  years  no  one  came  out  from  heathen- 
ism and  confessed  Christ.  It  was  a  tribe  of  over  a 
thousand  people.  The  children  came  quite  well  to 
school,  and  the  people  to  the  services  on  Sunday. 
The  chief  was  friendly  and  now  and  then  attended 
a  service.  A  blind  son,  who  was  very  intelligent, 
was  the  first  to  become  a  Christian  at  that  place.  By 
being  taught  to  commit  to  memory,  he  gained  a  very 
clear  knowledge  of  the  Testament,  and  could  repeat 
many  parts  of  it,  as  well  as  scores  of  hymns.  After 
a  time  he  attended  the  theological  seminary  of  the 
mission,  and  there,  by  listening,  learned  a  great 
deal  more,  so  that  he  grew  to  be  a  very  useful 
preacher. 

Soon  after  his  conversion,  others  of  the  tribe  be- 
came Christians.  The  chief,  his  father,  continued 
friendly,  but  died  unconverted.  The  blind  man  was 
the  only  son  of  the  principal  wife,  and  would  have 
been  chief,  after  his  father's  death,  if  it  had  not 
been  for  his  sightless  eyes.  Another  son,  who  was 
not  a  Christian,  was  chosen  for  that  place.  He  often 
told  me  he  would  like  to  be  one,  but  the  older  coun- 
selors of  the  tribe  would  not  allow  him  to  do  so. 
They  chose  not  only  a  second  wife  for  him,  but  a 
third,  and  contributed  the  cattle  for  their  dowries, 


UMVOTI  113 

insisting  if  he  were  chief  he  must  have  more  than 
one  wife. 

For  quite  awhile  I  had  hoped  to  start  a  school 
five  or  six  miles  away,  near  the  sea,  where  some  of 
that  tribe  lived.    One  day,  when  at  the  chief's  kraal, 
I  said  to  the  blind  man's  mother,  that  I  wished  to 
talk  with  the  chief.    I  noticed  how  the  women  looked 
at  each  other,  as  she  said  he  was  in  his  hut  with  a 
number  of  his  councillors.    I  knew  that  the  men  being 
there  not  one  of  the  women  would  venture  to  go.    If 
the  men  had  been  outside,  as  they  more  often  are  in 
councils,  I  would  not  have  minded  meeting  them,  but 
I  very  much  disliked  going  inside.    However,  I  sent 
word  to  the  chief  that  I  wished  to  see  him  and  his 
councillors,  and  was  invited  to  come  into  the  hut 
where    they    were.      I    stooped    down    and    passed 
through  the  low  door  into  a  large,  nicely-built  room, 
where,  in  rows  near  the  inside  edge,  sat  thirty-five 
or  forty  men,  with  rings  on  their  heads,  such  as  I 
will  describe  in  a  later  chapter.     The  chief  at  once 
got  up  and  arranged  a  nice  mat  for  me,  where  he 
had  sat.    I  did  not  say  a  word.    When  I  was  seated, 
he  said,  "  Sakabona,  Inkosazana "   (I  see  you),  to 
which  I  replied.    Then  each  man,  one  at  a  time,  said 
the  same,  after  which  the  chief  sat  down  near  the 
centre  of  the  room.    For  many  years  I  had  not  been 
a  stranger  to  those  people,  yet  my  heart  beat  wildly 
and  I   felt  myself  a  little  shaky  when  I  began  by 
saying  that  I  was  very  glad  of  this  chance  to  meet 
the  chief  and  his  councillors  together,  as  I  wished 
his  people,  near  the  sea,  to  have  a  school,  and  hoped 
they  would  build  the  school-house  for  it,  so  that  their 


114       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

children  could  be  taught,  as  were  children  of  others 
in  the  tribe.  The  country  was  changing,  and  surely 
they  must  see  that  it  would  be  a  great  disadvantage 
for  their  children  to  grow  up  without  any  knowledge 
of  God,  or  of  what  books  could  tell  them.  The 
parley  was  quite  long;  the  chief  spoke  favourably  of 
there  being  a  school  at  that  place ;  others  spoke  for 
and  against  it,  but  at  last  they  agreed  to  help,  and 
the  school-house  was  afterward  built.  I  said  my 
"  Salakahle  "  and  quietly  moved  out  of  the  hut,  with 
a  sense  of  relief  and  thankfulness. 

In  the  early  years  of  my  being  in  the  mission,  there 
was  great  need  of  books  in  the  Zulu  language,  for 
the  primary  schools.  A  very  good  primer  has  been 
published,  and  that  was  about  all  which  seemed  to 
me  suitable  to  use  in  awakening  the  child  mind  to 
become  interested  in  reading.  Within  a  few  years, 
as  soon  as  I  could  get  enough  of  the  language,  I 
began  to  prepare  something  to  be  used  in  my  own 
schools.  The  thought  grew,  until  after  a  year  or 
two,  I  had  a  "  Zulu  Second  Reader  "  written.  I  had 
urged  the  older  people  to  tell  me  fairy  tales,  such  as 
they  told  the  children  in  the  evening  around  the 
firelight.  Some  of  them  were  very  good,  and  a  few 
a  little  like  those  we  have.  I  added  stories  of  their 
kings  and  nation,  with  others  on  various  subjects, 
that  I  hoped  might  interest  them,  then  finished  with 
a  number  of  Bible  stories,  mostly  from  the  New 
Testament.  I  wrote  all,  after  carefully  thinking  of 
each  subject  and  telling  it  to  myself,  as  if  I  were 
a  Zulu  child.  While  I  wrote  them  out,  I  kept  that 
thought  uppermost,  holding  my  mind  as   far  as   I 


UMVOTI  115 

could,  within  the  scope  of  an  intelligent  Zulu  child's 
mind. 

When  the  manuscript  was  ready,  the  mission  sent 
it  to  America  to  be  published,  with  illustrations,  as 
suitable  as  we  were  able  to  get.  There  have  been 
a  number  of  editions.  It  is  still  extensively  used 
and  sold  where  the  Zulu  language  is  spoken. 

In  the  same  way  I  felt  the  need  of  a  Zulu  pamphlet, 
very  simple,  plain,  and  short,  which  would 
comprise  the  Ten  Commandments  and  the  plan  of 
salvation,  in  the  words  of  the  New  Testament.  This 
was  published,  and  was  a  great  help  in  primary 
work.  It  was  a  help  also  to  those  who  could  read, 
and  wished  to  teach  others  to  find  a  way,  yet  had 
not  themselves  learned  sufficiently  to  explain  clearly 
much  of  Bible  truths. 

There  was  a  little  Zulu  newspaper,  that  for  two 
or  three  years  took  more  of  my  extra  time  and 
strength  than  I  ought  to  have  spared.  I  never  wrote 
anything  in  Zulu  without  going  carefully  over  the 
manuscript  with  Mr.  Rood,  or  some  other  member 
of  the  mission,  and  also  with  an  educated  Zulu,  so 
that  the  language  might  be  as  perfect  as  possible. 

Miss  Dalita  Hawes,  a  lame  Zulu  girl,  who  was 
educated  at  the  Inanda  Seminary,  was  the  language 
critic  for  the  reading  book. 


XI 

HOBEANA 

IF  one  were  standing  on  the  veranda  of  the  mis- 
sion-house, at  Umvoti,  and  looking  far  away 
across  the  river  to  the  hills  beyond,  he  would 
see  a  small,  bright  spot  gleaming  out  in  the  midst 
of  the  vivid  green  of  the  foliage.  It  is  the  roof  of 
one  of  the  out-station  school-houses. 

As  I  recall  to-day  that  little  memorial  building 
(erected  in  memory  of  Mrs.  Lloyd  Lindley,  by  her 
friends  in  America),  with  its  many  associations, 
there  is  one  face  and  figure  which  stands  out  from 
the  dusky  crowd. 

Years  ago,  as  I  was  visiting  that  school,  I  saw  a 
bright-faced,  bright-eyed,  intelligent-looking  old  man, 
about  seventy  years  of  age,  whom  we  might  call  a 
splendid  old-fashioned,  heathen  Zulu.  His  name 
was  Hobeana.  I  was  surprised  to  see  him  there. 
As  soon  as  I  had  an  opportunity,  I  said.  "  Why, 
Hobeana,  how  do  you  happen  to  be  here?  "  "  Oh," 
he  replied,  "  I  am  coming  to  church."  This  was 
such  an  unusual  thing  for  one  of  his  age  and  posi- 
tion, from  that  tribe,  to  do,  I  wondered  what  his 
motives  were,  and  asked,  "  Why  are  you  coming  to 
church?"  Said  he,  "  I  want  to  find  out  what  Chris- 
tianity is.  I  have  had  a  dream."  "  A  dream !  What 
did  you  dream?"     "I  dreamed  that  I  must  come 

116 


HOBEANA  11^ 

down  here  and  find  out  what  Christianity  is.  I  did 
not  wish  to  do  anything  slyly,  so  I  called  all  the 
chief  people  together  and  said,  '  I  am  going  down 
there  where  the  service  is  held  to  find  out  about 
Christianity ! '"  "  What  did  they  say  ?  "  "  Oh,  they 
consented,  so  I  have  come."  "  Well,  what  have  you 
found  out?"  "Not  much  yet,  but  I  am  gomg  to 
learn  more.  I  come  to  every  service,  rain  or  shme, 
and  I  am  coming  right  along." 

He  kept  his  word,  and  did  come  to  every  service, 
the  native  preacher  taking  pains  to  help  and  instruct 
him.  Seeing  him  some  time  later,  I  said,  "  Have  you 
found  out  yet  what  Christianity  is,  Hobeana?  "  "  No, 
but  I  am  going  to,"  he  rephed.  Then  followed  a 
long  conversation.  He  talked  about  his  dream,  some 
of  the  innumerable  superstitions  of  his  people,  and 
a  little  of  what  he  had  learned  in  church.  He  mixed 
it  all  up  together,  and  I  wondered  if  there  could  be 
any  place  in  his  mind  for  the  real  light;  but  I  be- 
lieve God  was  speaking  to  him,  although  the  light 
was  like  a  leaf  in  the  air,  seeming  to  have  no  place 

to  '■^st-  .  ^  u     u  A 

Some  weeks  later  I  saw  him  again,  and  he  had 

on  his  first  garment.     He  was  sitting  on  a  bench, 

his  elbows  were  akimbo,  and  he  did  not  quite  know 

what  to  do  with  his  hands  and  feet.   Often  when  the 

natives  first  go  into  a  civiHzed  house,  they  do  not 

understand   about   the    furniture   and   other   things 

that  they  see,  and  do  not  dare  trust  themselves  to 

the  chairs  for  fear  they  will  fall;  so  when  they  begin 

to  sit  on  a  bench  they  are  not  quite  sure  about  the 

foundations.    As  soon  as  Hobeana  saw  me,  he  said, 


118       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

"  You  see  I  am  going  to  be  a  Christian,  Inkosazana." 
"  In  what  way  are  you  going  to  be  a  Christian  ?  " 
"  Why,  don't  you  see  I  am  dressing  now ;  I  am 
going  to  have  clothes.  I  am  lii<e  other  people  who 
wish  to  be  Christians."  "  Oh,  no,  Hobeana,  it  is 
well  to  wear  civilized  garments,  if  you  wish  to  do 
so,  but  clothes  do  not  make  you  a  Christian.  God 
will  hear  you  when  you  pray  to  Him,  and  will  help 
you  in  your  native  costume  just  as  well  as  He  will 
if  you  have  this  garment  on.  You  want  some  cloth- 
ing for  the  heart.  I  cannot  now  make  you  under- 
stand all  this,  but  God  can  help  you  to  understand 
down  here,"  and  I  placed  my  hand  on  my  heart  as 
I  spoke,  but  Hobeana's  face  was  sad — he  could  not 
understand  me. 

A  few  months  passed  by  and  he  had  on  a  second 
garment,  was  sitting  straight  and  dignified  on  the 
bench.  His  elbows  were  down  by  his  body.  He  said, 
"  Inkosazana,  now  you  see  I  am  going  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian." "  How  are  you  going  to  be  a  Christian?"  I 
asked,  as  before.  "  Why,  don't  you  see  I  am 
dressed  ?  "  "  Oh,  but,  Hobeana,  still  you  need  a  gar- 
ment for  the  heart,  away  down  here,"  again  touch- 
ing my  heart. 

Hobeana  put  his  hand  to  his  mouth,  in  native 
fashion,  slowly  and  silently  shaking  his  head.  He 
could  not  understand;  he  was  perplexed  and  dis- 
tressed, to  find  that  these  things  made  him  a  no 
better  Christian.  He  must  have  clothing  for  his 
heart;  what  was  this  clothing,  and  how  was  he  to 
get  it? 

His  next  step  was  to  have  his  ring  cut  from  his 


HOBEANA  119 

head.  A  Zulu,  when  old  enough  to  become  a  sol- 
dier, has  a  ring,  made  of  some  glutinous  substance, 
fastened  around  the  top  of  his  head.  He  thinks  a 
great  deal  of  this  ring.  To  him  it  is  like  a  diploma 
to  a  young  man  when  he  comes  out  of  college.  He 
wears  it  all  his  life.  It  was  this  ring  that  he  had  cut 
off.  I  said,  "  Why  have  you  cut  the  ring  from  your 
head.  You  thought  so  much  of  it,  and  it  looked 
nicely."  "  Oh,"  said  he,  "  I  am  going  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian." Again  I  had  to  tell  him,  "  Even  this  will  not 
help  you  to  be  a  Christian.  H  you  wish  to  have  it 
cut  off,  that  is  all  well  enough ;  if  you  want  to  wear 
a  hat  you  can  wear  it  better  without  this  ring.  But 
many  people  who  do  not  wear  a  ring  on  their  heads, 
are  not  Christians,  and  have  not  the  Spirit  of  God  in 
their  hearts."  Greatly  perplexed  he  said,  "  Truly, 
I  am  going  to  be  a  Christian."  "  Oh,  yes,"  I  said, 
"  I  hope  you  are."  Again  Hobeana  spoke  of  his 
dream  and  the  glad  news  he  had  heard  at  the  serv- 
ices, for  by  this  time  he  had  learned  many  Bible 
truths. 

It  may  have  been  two  years  later  that  he  came 
to  church  dressed  in  a  fine  suit  of  broadcloth  clothes. 
They  were  very  nice.  His  linen  and  all  parts  of  the 
suit  w^ere  quite  perfect.  I  said,  "  Why,  Hobeana, 
where  did  you  get  this  splendid  suit  of  clothes  and 
the  linen?"  "Oh,  my  daughter  went  down  to  the 
station  and  learned  to  wash  and  iron ;  she  takes 
care  of  my  clothes,  brushes  them,  folds  them,  and 
puts  them  in  a  box.  I  shall  only  wear  them  when  I 
go  to  church,  and  to  see  you.  Other  people,  who 
are  Christians,  wear  nicer  clothes  on  Sunday  than 


120       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

any  other  clay."    Then  he  straightened  up  and  said, 
"  Now,  Inkosazana,  I  am  a  Christian." 

Friends,  don't  you  see  the  same  human  nature  in 
Africa  as  in  America?  People  put  on  their  best 
clothes,  go  to  church,  sit  comfortably  back  in  their 
seat,  find  the  right  place  in  the  hymn-book,  and  say, 
like  Hobeana,  "  I  am  a  Christian."  Sometimes  this 
very  thing  is  like  an  armour,  harder  to  penetrate 
than  real  heathenism.  We  did  not  want  Hobeana 
to  have  this  armour,  and  painful  as  it  was,  again  had 
to  tell  him  that  all  these  things  did  not  make  him  a 
Christian.  Oh,  how  distressed  he  appeared,  al- 
though we  spoke  other  and  more  encouraging  words 
to  him. 

^'  But,"  said  he,  "  I  look  just  like  other  people 
who  go  to  church,  don't  you  see  ?  "  and  he  smoothed 
down  the  broadcloth.  More  and  more  we  felt  con- 
vinced that  the  real  truth  was  dawning  in  his  heart, 
and  one  day  he  said  to  me,  "  Inkosazana,  we  have 
had  prayers  at  our  kraal."  "  I  am  pleased  to  hear 
that,"  I  replied.  "  Your  sons  and  grandsons,  what 
do  they  say?  Will  they  come  into  your  hut  when 
you  have  prayers  ?  "  The  feeling  of  filial  respect 
is  very  strong  among  the  Zulus.  Hobeana  seemed 
astonished  that  I  should  ask  if  his  grown-up  sons 
were  respectful.  "  Oh,"  said  he,  "  they  come  in 
unless  they  can  make  an  excuse  to  stay  away;  they 
sit  still  and  listen,  but  yet  do  not  wish  to  be  Chris- 
tians. I  repeat  something  I  have  heard  in  church, 
and  have  learned  the  Lord's  prayer;  besides,  Inko- 
sazana, I  have  learned,  too,  some  words  of  my  own 
to  say  to  the  Lord." 


HOBEANA  121 

So,  month  by  month,  Hobeana  improved  and  was 
taught  more  Bible  truths,  always  coming  to  every 
service,  till  at  last  we  felt  he  had  the  clothing  for 
his  heart,  that  was  so  necessary.  He  applied  for 
church  membership,  but  there  were  difficulties  to 
overcome.  In  the  first  place,  he  had  three  wives.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  day  when  he  came  to  talk  this 
matter  over  with  us.  We  knew  it  was  coming.  I 
said  to  him,  "  Hobeana,  I  have  advised  you  about 
many  things,  but  now  I  have  no  advice  to  give  you ; 
only  God  can  help  you.  These  wives  are  the  mothers 
of  your  children ;  you  took  them  in  heathenism.  It 
is  your  duty  to  provide  for  them,  and,  if  separated, 
to  be  separated  in  a  Christian  way.  God  can  guide 
you,  and  we  must  be  very  earnest  in  asking  Him  to 
help  you  to  do  what  is  best." 

By  this  time  Hobeana  had  learned  to  take  the 
truths  of  the  Bible  as  direct  messages  from  God 
to  himself.  He  often  said,  "  They  are  like  a  letter 
from  God  to  me."  He  took  them  to  his  heart,  be- 
lieved them,  and  prayed,  expecting  God  would  hear 
and  answer.    And  He  did. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  answer  came  through 
heathen  customs.  Reference  has  already  been  made 
to  the  Zulu  custom,  that  when  a  man  is  first  engaged 
he  gives  a  certain  number  of  cattle  to  the  father  of 
his  betrothed.  They  are  not  married  young;  en- 
gagements often  continue  for  several  years,  and  the 
rest  of  the  cattle  are  given  at  the  final  marriage 
ceremony.  All  this  time,  the  girl  is  at  her  father's 
kraal.  We  had  supposed  that  Hobeana  had  really 
taken  his  youngest  wife  to  his  kraal,  that  the  final 


122       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

ceremony  had  been  performed ;  but  we  found  that 
she  was  still  living  with  her  father.  Without  wish- 
ing to  help  him  to  be  a  Christian,  in  fact  we  think  it 
was  because  he  was  a  Christian,  she  was  deter- 
mined that  the  engagement  should  be  broken.  It  is 
a  very  unusual  thing  to  break  a  Zulu  marriage 
engagement,  and  almost  impossible  for  a  heathen 
woman  to  separate  from  her  husband,  or  be  married 
again ;  but  the  girl  urged  her  heathen  father,  till  at 
last  he  consented  to  return  the  cattle  to  Hobeana. 
The  engagement  was  broken,  and  he  was  separated 
from  his  young  wife ;  but  there  were  still  two  re- 
maining. Another  Zulu  custom  is,  that  when  a 
woman  has  a  grown-up  son,  who  is  married  and 
wishes  his  mother  to  come  and  live  with  him,  heathen 
law  allows  her  to  do  this,  but  not  to  marry  again. 
One  of  Hobeana's  wives  had  a  grown-up  son,  and 
while  opposed  to  his  father  becoming  a  Christian, 
yet  he  very  much  wished  to  have  his  mother  come 
and  live  with  him.  She  did  so,  and  thus  all  was 
pleasantly  arranged.  Hobeana  was  very  happy  in  the 
thought  that  it  had  been  arranged  without  any  un- 
pleasantness, and  he  was  free  to  live  with  his  first 
and  best  loved  wife.  Again  he  applied  for  church 
membership,  but  there  was  still  another  difficulty. 
Some  people  in  America  may  think  the  action  of 
the  mission,  of  which  I  am  about  to  speak,  was  very 
narrow,  but  if  they  knew  the  difficulties  we  had  to 
contend  with,  because  of  strong  drink,  they  would 
modify  their  opinion,  I  am  sure.  All  that  is  vile, 
and  much  that  hinders  the  Christian  work,  goes  on 
at  their  beer  drinks,  which  are  sometimes  attended 


HOBEANA  123 

by  three  or  four  hundred  people.  Aside  from  such 
gatherings,  the  beer  itself  injures  the  natives,  mak- 
ing them  stupid  and  indolent  at  their  homes. 

Our  mission  had  done  what  it  could,  for  years, 
to  influence  the  Christian  and  station  people  to  give 
it  up.  But  the  Zulus  are  born  lawyers,  and  can 
plead  their  cases  well,  using  strong  arguments  in 
favour  of  their  beer.  They  would  say,  "  It  is  our 
food,  we  have  not  the  variety  that  white  people 
have ;  besides,  our  beer  does  not  intoxicate  like  the 
white  man's  rum  and  brandy."  Many  of  our  best 
Christian  people  were  determined  not  to  be  con- 
vinced that  they  should  give  it  up. 

The  mission  called  a  meeting,  which  continued 
several  days,  to  talk  over  this  question.  All  of  the 
native  pastors,  the  chief  native  Christians  and  mis- 
sionaries came  together.  In  many  respects  it  was 
a  most  trying  ordeal.  But  after  much  patience, 
prayer,  and  talk  for  and  against  the  beer,  as  well  as 
against  taking  cattle  for  daughters,  the  people  were 
induced  to  take  a  vote  that  in  future  whoever  came 
into  the  church  should  give  up  those  customs.  At  all 
our  stations  there  were  many  who  opposed  those 
rules.  For  over  a  year  we  did  not  have  the  Com- 
munion in  a  church  of  our  mission.  It  was  like  a 
great  wave  of  trouble,  annoyance,  and  anxiety ;  but 
it  passed,  and  there  came  a  wave  of  blessing  such 
as  we  had  never  before  known.  I  frequently  felt 
that  we  could  only  stand  and  see  what  the  Lord 
would  do. 

We  had,  unconsciously  almost,  grown  to  think  that 
there  could  not  be  a  revival  in  our  Zulu  churches. 


124       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

But  it  came,  beginning  first  at  Umvoti,  and  swept 
through  our  whole  mission  field,  as  told  in  another 
chapter.  For  this  God-given  blessing  we  owed  much 
to  the  temperance  movement,  and  to  the  stand  taken 
by  our  mission,  not  only  in  regard  to  beer,  but  also 
in  regard  to  other  heathen  customs,  which  were 
creeping  into  the  churches.  A  steady  growth  of 
spiritual  life  continued  in  all  departments  of  the 
work.  Five  years  afterward,  one  of  our  older  ladies 
wrote,  "  This  last  year  has  been  the  most  blessed 
of  our  mission." 

Those  church  rules  were  made  before  Hobeana 
applied  for  membership ;  he  was  an  old  man  when 
he  first  desired  to  become  a  Christian.  He  had  never 
been  a  drunkard,  nor  did  he  often  care  to  go  to  large 
beer  parties,  but  he  felt  he  could  not  give  up  that 
food,  as  he  called  it.  I  remember  one  of  our  pre- 
paratory lectures,  when  he  stood  in  all  his  native 
dignity,  and  pleaded  his  case.  He  said,  "  I  am  old, 
my  teeth  are  gone,  I  have  not  a  variety  of  food.  I 
walk  a  long  way  to  church ;  I  have  never  been  in- 
toxicated, I  do  not  wish  to  go  to  beer  drinks.  I  have 
given  up  my  heathen  customs ;  I  have  given  up  my 
ring ;  I  have  given  up  my  wives,  but  how  can  I  give 
up  this  little  cup  of  beer  that  I  need?"  (Ipikile 
encane  engaka.) 

Our  hearts  had  grown  very  tender  towards  Ho- 
beana, but  the  rule  was  a  good  and  necessary  one, 
which  was  to  become  a  great  blessing  to  our 
churches.  We  saw  ao  way  but  that  he  must  suffer 
for  the  good  of  others. 

The  missionary  asked  him  to  reconsider  and  wait 


HOBEANA  125 

until  the  next  Communion.  When  the  next  Com- 
munion came,  he  had  seen  many  who  seemed  to 
have  made  this  a  test  question,  and  brought  forward 
new  arguments.  We  beheved  that  he  was  a  Chris- 
tian, we  felt  that  he  had  sacrificed  much,  but  that 
he  really  could  not  see  how  he  was  to  glorify  God 
by  giving  us  his  beer.  '*  No,"  said  he,  "  I  will  never 
give  up  my  beer." 

The  missionary's  heart  yearned  over  him,  and  he 
said  to  the  members  of  the  church,  "  It  may  be  we 
are  asking  too  much.  We  know  Hobeana  is  a  Chris- 
tian, yet  seems  unable  to  understand  the  necessity 
of  this  sacrifice.  If  we  make  an  exception  and  allow 
him  to  come  into  the  church,  we  here  will  all  under- 
stand it  and  perhaps  other  church  members  may  also. 
We  will  vote  upon  it,  and,  if  you  as  a  church  decide 
that  he  can  come  in,  I  shall  say  nothing  more  against 
it."  They  voted  to  admit  him,  and  the  next  Sunday 
he  came  to  his  first  Communion. 

Two  or  three  weeks  after  that,  while  standing 
on  the  veranda,  I  saw  Hobeana  coming  across  the 
river,  resplendent  in  his  broadcloth  suit.  As  he 
came  near  he  took  hold  of  the  side  of  his  coat,  and 
said,  "  Inkosazana."  "Well,  what  is  it,  Hobeana?" 
"  I  want  that  little  blue  ribbon  put  right  here  in  my 
buttonhole."  "  But  what  do  you  want  of  the  blue 
ribbon?  You  say  you  cannot  give  up  your  native 
beer."  "  Oh,"  said  he,  **  Inkosazana,  to  think  that  I 
am  a  child  of  God,  that  I  have  come  to  the  table  of 
the  Lord,  and  can't  give  up  a  little  thing  for  Christ's 
sake,  can't  give  it  up  for  Him,  who  has  done  so 
much  for  me !     I  said  that  my  teeth  were  gone,  and 


126       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

that  I  could  not  get  on  without  my  beer;  but  I'm 
old,  and  I  cannot  get  on  without  my  sleep.  I  do 
not  sleep  nights  when  I  remember  that  I  have  not 
given  it  up.  Can't  give  up  a  thing  that  I  love,  when 
He  has  done  so  much  for  me !  Now  I  have  tried 
to  do  without  it.  For  two  or  three  days  I  have  not 
to^iched  a  bit  of  beer."  Then,  straightening  his  body, 
he  safd,  "  I've  walked  all  the  seven  miles  down  here 
and  I  am  not  hungry,  I  am  not  over  tired.  It  was 
just  an  excuse.  If  I  haven't  teeth,  there  are  other 
things  that  I  can  eat.  Don't  you  see  how  well  I 
am,  and  yet  I  have  not  had  a  bit  of  beer  for  several 
days.  I  can  do  without  it.  Now  get  the  ribbon 
quick.  I  want  it  in  this  buttonhole,  so  that  all  the 
world  may  know  that  Hobeana  loves  to  do  this 
thing  for  Christ's  sake." 

That  was  a  year  before  I  came  to  America,  for  my 
only  furlough.  I  often  saw  him,  and  would  some- 
times say,  "Well,  Hobeana,  what  about  the  beer? 
When  you  get  home  tired  and  smell  it  and  see  great 
pots  of  it,  don't  you  wish  you  could  have  some?" 
"  Oh,  no !  "  said  he,  "  I  go  and  I  look  at  it  and  I 
smell  it  and  I  say ;  '  Hobeana,  now  don't  you  wish 
you  had  some  ?  It  is  nice ;  it  would  taste  nicely, 
smells  nicely,'  and  I  say,  '  No,  if  it  is  nice,  I  am 
glad  I  can  give  up  nice  things — a  thing  that  I  love — 
for  Him  who  has  done  so  much  for  me.'  No,  no, 
Inkosazana,  a  thing  that  I  love — for  His  sake — I 
can  do." 

Some  years  after,  when  I  was  no  longer  living 
at  Umvoti,  but  at  another  station,  in  writing  to  a 
friend,  I  said :     "  I  have  been  for  over  a  week  at 


HOBEANA  127 

my  old  home,  Umvoti.  I  decided  quite  suddenly 
to  go,  on  hearing  how  much  the  schools  there  are 
needing  supervision.  I  would  have  liked  to  stay  a 
month,  but  could  not  do  so.  It  was  a  drive  across 
country,  over  a  bad  road,  of  twenty-five  or  thirty 
miles,  in  my  little  American  buggy,  with  one  horse. 
I  had  with  me  a  native  boy,  about  ten  years  of  age. 
I  found  the  schools  in  great  need  of  help.  I  went 
to  one  each  day,  and  in  the  afternoon  held  a  meet- 
ing in  the  school-house,  there,  for  the  people.  It 
was  delightful  to  be  with  them  again ;  old  and  young, 
men,  women,  and  children  came.  '  Now,  you  have 
come  at  last,'  they  said,  '  we  shall  again  live.' 

"  I  wish  you  could  have  seen  Hobeana.  He  has 
grown  much  older,  but  is  as  bright  and  interesting 
as  ever.  If  I  sat  down,  he  wished  to  sit  close  by 
me.  If  I  moved  to  speak  to  another,  he  moved,  so 
that,  as  he  said,  he  might  hear  every  word.  He 
cannot  give  up  the  thought  but  that  I  may  yet  come 
back  to  Umvoti  to  live.  I  think  it  was  one  of  the 
happiest,  most  thankful  moments  of  my  life  when 
he  told  me  of  his  continual  joy  in  the  Lord.  '  Oh ! ' 
said  he,  '  I  am  an  old  man ;  my  strength  is  going ; 
I  have  not  much  longer  to  live  on  the  earth.  I  am 
happy  here  because  Jesus  makes  me  glad;  but  I 
shall  be  more  happy  if  I  may  soon  go  where  I  can 
see  Him.'  *  Have  you  ever  been  sorry  or  troubled 
because  you  gave  up  beer  and  other  things  for 
Christ's  sake?'  I  asked.  'No,  no,  never,'  he  re- 
plied. '  I  do  not  remember  the  beer ;  I  do  not  want 
it.  I  have  just  been  glad  all  the  time  to  have  given 
up  anything  I  have  for  Him.' " 


128       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

I  did  not  see  Hobeana  again.  A  year  or  two  after 
that  he  grew  more  feeble  in  health  and  died,  but 
to  the  last  he  appeared  to  maintain  his  love  for  God 
and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  A  native  Christian,  in 
writing  to  me,  said,  "  Hobeana  is,  as  usual,  grow- 
ing more  and  more  to  know  and  love  and  trust  the 
Lord." 

Well  has  some  one  said :  "  The  Dark  Continent 
is  transfigured  to  many  eyes  by  the  treasure  it  pro- 
duces ;  they  see  the  gold  of  the  Transvaal  and  the 
diamonds  of  the  Cape.  How,  then,  must  Africa 
look  to  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  as  He  makes  up  His 
jewels  ? " 


XII 


HUGUENOT    COLLEGE  —  OTHER    NOTED 
EVENTS   AND  PEOPLE 

IN  the  early  seventies,  when  Rev.  Andrew  Mur- 
ray, of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  in  Cape 
Colony,  a  distinguished  minister,  evangelist,  and 
author,  was  taking  his  leave  for  a  vacation,  a  friend 
loaned  him  a  book  to  read.  It  was  the  life  of  Mary 
Lyon,  the  founder  of  Mt.  Holyoke  College.  As  he 
read  it  he  became  greatly  interested,  and  said,  "  That 
is  just  such  a  school  as  we  need  here  in  South 
Africa,  for  our  English  and  Dutch  girls."  He  talked 
it  over  with  a  few  of  his  friends,  like-minded  with 
himself.  There  were  not  many  ways  of  getting 
money  for  such  an  undertaking.  However,  after 
much  prayer  and  consultation  together,  he  wrote  to 
Mt.  Holyoke,  telling  the  circumstances  and  asking 
if  they  could  send  a  graduate  from  that  institution 
to  come  and  start  a  school  on  the  Holyoke  plan,  at 
Wellington,  a  few  hours  by  train  from  Cape  Town. 
The  letter,  on  reaching  its  destination,  received 
due  consideration.  There  also  was  careful  thought 
and  prayer  for  guidance,  after  which  it  was  decided 
that  it  would  not  be  best  for  a  lady  to  go  alone. 
Then  Dr.  Andrew  Murray  and  his  writings  were 
not   so   well   known   as   they   became   a    few   years 

129 


130       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

later,  neither  was  South  Africa.  Therefore,  it  was 
arranged  to  ask  two  to  go. 

In  the  Zulu  mission,  a  thousand  miles  farther  on, 
they  knew  there  were  friends.  The  wives  of  some 
of  the  missionaries  were  daughters  of  Holyoke. 

At  length  two  ladies  were  found  who  were  will- 
ing to  respond  to  this  call:  Miss  Abbie  Ferguson 
and  Miss  Annie  Bliss.  Both  were  consecrated,  capa- 
ble graduates,  who  had  already  been  teaching  for 
a  few  years.  On  their  reaching  the  Cape  Colony 
they  found  the  accommodation  for  the  opening  of 
the  school  much  better  than  they  had  anticipated. 

A  strange  thing  was  happening,  a  marked  answer 
to  prayer  for  this  school,  which  was  being  started 
in  faith  and  dependence  on  God.  A  peculiar  com- 
munity of  Europeans  had  been  established  at  Well- 
ington, a  few  years  before,  by  a  man  whose  fanati- 
cism, greed,  ambition,  and  lack  of  principle  were 
notorious.  He  had  quite  a  following  at  first.  Some 
good,  though  mistaken,  people  had  been  induced  to 
give  him  all  that  they  had,  and  discovered  when  too 
late,  the  great  unworthiness  and  immorality  of  their 
leader. 

Land  had  been  bought,  a  large  community-house 
built,  and  the  cult  established  there,  while  still  the 
people  in  Wellington  and  the  surrounding  country 
scarcely  realized  who  and  what  their  neighbours  were. 
Some  of  the  time  the  leader  was  going  about  the 
country  spending  money  freely  for  his  own  comfort, 
and  introducing  himself  as  a  Christian  philanthropist, 
at  the  head  of  a  Christian  institution.  He  came  to 
Natal  and  spent  a  night  at  our  station.     We  had 


HUGUENOT  COLLEGE  131 

little  confidence  in  him,  or  respect  for  what  he  said, 
and  wondered  who  and  what  he  could  be.  Strange 
and  dreadful  things  began  to  be  known  of  the  life 
in  that  community-house.  The  people  in  that  part 
of  the  country  were  aroused,  and  the  leader  of  the 
sect  was  obliged  to  make  a  hurried  departure.  Some 
of  the  inmates  had  become  insane ;  many  little  graves 
were  afterward  found  in  the  garden.  The  com- 
munity was  completely  broken  up,  and  the  property 
sold  at  a  low  price. 

The  committee,  headed  by  Dr.  Murray,  bought  it 
for  the  projected  seminary.  With  some  changes, 
repairs,  and  furnishings,  it  was  opened,  after  the 
ladies  reached  there,  as  the  Huguenot  Seminary  for 
Girls. 

Started  as  it  was  in  faith,  the  religious  influence, 
from  the  first,  has  been  very  marked  and  its  growth 
rapid.  Soon  other  teachers  were  called  from 
America,  also  some  from  European  countries.  Now 
it  has,  for  a  number  of  years,  been  a  college  with 
fine  buildings,  and  a  staff  of  thirty  or  thirty-five 
instructors,  from  America  and  other  countries. 
Those  first  two  teachers  are  still  living;  Miss  Fergu- 
son, after  being  the  principal  for  many  years,  retired, 
but  resides  there,  while  Miss  Bliss  is  now  president 
of  the  college.  Branch  schools  were  started  in  other 
places,  some  with  teachers  from  America,  but  more 
often,  in  later  years,  with  those  who  have  graduated 
from  Wellington.  Indirectly  as  well  as  directly, 
the  school  has  done  much  for  missions.  I  once  heard 
Dr.  Murray  say  that  the  American  ladies  had  ac- 
complished more  in  influencing  ministers  and  people 


132       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

to  be  interested  in  work  for  the  coloured  people,  than 
all  other  efforts  at  the  Cape. 

A  missionary  society  was  formed  in  the  Dutch 
church,  and  has  for  a  long  time  been  conducting 
work  for  the  natives  in  different  regions  south  of 
the  Zambezi  River,  through  the  faithfulness  of  a 
small  group  of  broad-minded  Christians.  The  Dutch 
settlers  manifested  little  sympathy  for,  or  interest 
in,  the  work.  Their  hostility  towards  the  natives, 
for  more  than  a  century  before  the  last  Boer  and 
English  war,  as  well  as  at  that  time,  is  well  known. 

But  among  the  Boers  captured  by  the  English  and 
exiled  to  prison  camps  in  India,  great  revivals  broke 
out,  through  the  influence  of  English  and  American 
missionaries,  working  in  that  country.  There  were 
revivals,  too,  in  prison  camps  at  other  places.  Many 
were  converted  and  several  hundred  Boer  converts 
volunteered  for  mission  work,  on  being  released  and 
returned  to  their  native  land.  They  did  much  to 
influence  and  build  up  the  mission  interest  in  their 
home  churches.  The  churches  responded,  and  now 
many  of  those  Boer  fighters  have  become  soldiers 
of  the  Cross,  and  are  doing  good  work  in  various 
places  for  the  King  of  Kings. 

When  I  had  been  for  some  years  in  Natal,  I 
went,  one  vacation,  for  a  little  needed  rest  and 
change,  to  Cape  Colony,  to  visit  the  friends  and 
schools  at  Stellenbosch  and  Wellington;  the  prin- 
cipal of  the  former  place  then  being  our  own  Miss 
H.  J.  Gilson,  in  recent  years  of  the  mission  in  Rho- 
desia. The  voyage  was  rough  and  trying.  The 
night   after  reaching   Stellenbosch,   I   became   seri- 


HUGUENOT  COLLEGE  133 

ously  ill,  and  was  not  able  to  leave  my  room  for  a 
few  weeks.  Most  tenderly  those  dear  friends  cared 
for  me.  I  can  never  forget  or  cease  to  be  grateful 
to  them  for  their  kindness  and  love  at  that  time. 
The  Christian  fellowship,  the  change  for  me  of 
being  with  them,  the  privilege  of  spending  a  week 
in  Dr.  Murray's  home,  of  hearing  him  preach  and 
talk,  and  of  seeing  the  schools,  were  all  a  great  en- 
couragement and  blessing. 

While  in  Cape  Town  for  a  few  days,  a  distin- 
guished-looking, elderly  gentleman,  who  spoke  ex- 
cellent English,  called  to  see  me.  He  said,  in  sub- 
stance :  "  I  am  a  Moravian  missionary,  from  Nama- 
qualand,  and  in  Cape  Town  to  look  after  some 
printing.  Hearing  that  a  missionary  of  the  Ameri- 
can board  was  here,  from  Natal,  I  felt  I  must  call. 
We,  as  a  mission,  owe  much  to  yours.  We  came  to 
Namaqualand,  a  few  years  after  they  began  work 
in  Natal.  The  natives,  where  we  were,  had  never 
before  heard  of  God,  were  very  superstitious,  and 
determined  we  should  not  stay.  They  became  most 
bitter  against  us. 

"  The  king  and  chiefs  would  not  allow  any  of  the 
people  to  be  taught.  Sometimes  they  would  work 
for  us  and  bring  food  to  sell.  We  studied  their 
language,  as  best  we  could,  and  reduced  it  to  writ- 
ing, all  the  time  taking  every  opportunity  to  explain 
the  true  light,  vvhich  Jesus,  the  Son  of  the  great 
God,  had  brought  to  the  world,  and  how,  for  that 
reason,  we  had  come  to  their  land  to  tell  them 
about  it.  Some  listened,  but  were  afraid  to  let  it 
be  known.     At  length  the  king  became  so  super- 


134       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

stitious  and  bitter  against  us,  he  ordered  his  men 
to  inspan  the  oxen  to  our  wagons  and  take  us  out 
of  the  country.  They  put  our  belongings  into  the 
wagon  and  we  followed,  in  no  way  protesting  or 
arguing  with  them.  It  would  have  been  useless. 
We  trusted  in  the  Lord  and  prayed.  They  drove 
on  until  the  oxen  could  go  no  farther,  then  they  out- 
spanned  and  left  us,  but  did  not  return. 

"  We  were  still  in  Namaqualand,  and  there  re- 
mained. That  very  place  is  now  our  oldest  station. 
Some  of  the  people  would  gladly  have  been  friendly, 
and  were,  but  fear  kept  them  back.  For  ten  years 
we  worked  on  in  that  discouraging  way,  getting  quite 
a  knowledge  of  the  language,  but,  as  it  often  seemed 
to  us,  not  getting  much  hold  on  the  people.  Our 
committee  at  home  had  written  advising  us  to  give 
up  the  field.  Strange  as  it  may  seem  to  an  outsider, 
we  were  reluctant  to  do  so.  We  had  become  greatly 
interested  in  those  wild  people. 

"  Two  of  us  determined  to  take  a  trip  across  the 
country  and  see  what  encouragement  other  missions 
were  having.  We  had  heard  of  the  American  mis- 
sion, in  Natal,  and  hoped  to  reach  it.  It  was  a  great 
undertaking,  on  horseback,  through  that  wild  coun- 
try, of  more  than  eight  hundred  miles.  We  visited 
all  the  mission  stations  that  we  could,  and  found 
little  encouragement.  Not  only  the  opposition  from 
chiefs,  but  wars  between  the  Boers  and  the  natives, 
and  wars  between  the  natives  themselves,  hindered 
better  influences  among  the  people. 

"  At  length  we  reached  Natal  and  ]\Iopumolo,  one 
of  the  American  board  stations.     This  station,  like 


HUGUENOT  COLLEGE  135 

our  own,  had  been  established  about  ten  years.  The 
missionary,  Rev.  Andrew  Abraham,  said  he  had  not 
yet  formed  a  church,  and  only  a  few  of  the  people 
about  him  had  become  Christians.  Quite  a  number 
were  being  taught  in  a  day  school  and  also  in  an 
evening  school.  We  asked  him  if  he  did  not  get 
discouraged  with  no  larger  results.  '  Oh,  no,'  said 
he,  '  I  have  not  thought  of  being  discouraged.'  "  (As 
this  was  the  same  station  to  which  I  was  sent  to 
study  the  language,  years  afterward,  and  the  same 
missionary  who  taught  me,  I  can  fancy  his  saying  that 
with  a  smile  on  his  face.) 

"  After  supper,"  continued  the  Moravian  mission- 
ary, "  he  asked  us  to  go  with  him  for  a  little  walk 
about  the  place.  He  showed  us  a  few  civilized 
houses  that  some  of  his  people  had  built  for  them- 
selves. Then,  besides  the  mission-house,  there  was 
a  small  brick  building,  where  school  was  held  on 
week  days,  and  services  on  Sunday  and  at  other 
times.  He  took  us  to  see  a  very  fine  field  of  grow- 
ing corn,  and  said,  '  Do  you  not  think  we  are  likely  to 
have  a  good  crop  ?  Yet  no  ears  are  to  be  seen.  We 
had  to  work  hard  to  get  out  the  roots  and  stones 
and  make  the  soil  ready  for  the  seed.  It  is  not  two 
feet  high  now,  but  God  sending  the  rain  and  sun- 
shine, we  trust  there  will  be  a  good  harvest.  It  will 
still  need  care  to  protect  it  from  weeds,  birds,  mon- 
keys, and  other  wild  animals.  So  it  is  with  mission 
work.  There  is  great  need  of  patience  and  much 
toil  to  prepare  the  hearts  of  the  people  for  the 
seed  of  God's  truth,  and  then  the  need  of  watching 
and  care.     Oh,  no,  why  should  we  be  discouraged 


136       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

in  mission  work?  The  day  is  coming,  I  trust,  when 
these  hills  and  valleys  will  be  populated  with  Zulus 
who  are  true  believers,  trusting  in  the  living  God, 
instead  of  their  own  superstitions.' 

"  We  returned  to  the  house,  and  that  night  talked 
and  prayed  till  a  late  hour,  for  guidance  and  cour- 
age to  continue  in  the  work  for  the  natives  of  South 
Africa.  We  reconsecrated  our  hearts  to  the  Mas- 
ter's service,  and  there  decided  that  we  should  not 
give  up  the  mission  to  the  Namaquas.  New  courage 
and  trust  in  the  mighty  God  came  to  us ;  we  did 
not  care  to  continue  our  journey  in  search  of  en- 
couragement by  visiting  other  mission  stations. 
However,  we  called  at  a  few,  as  we  went  homeward 
by  a  more  southern  route.  On  reaching  our  station, 
our  associates  seemed  also  to  have  received  a  new 
vision  of  God,  and  were  very  ready  to  unite  with  us 
in  prayer  for  more  faith,  strength,  and  guidance. 
The  people,  too,  suddenly  seemed  to  awaken  and 
open  their  hearts  for  the  light  to  come  in.  Persecu- 
tion and  opposition  from  the  chief  were  greatly  les- 
sened ;  many  threw  aside  their  fears,  confessing  their 
determination  to  become  Christians. 

"  Our  committee  at  home,  as  I  have  already  stated, 
having  written  advising  our  withdrawal  from  the 
field,  we  wrote  them  of  our  fresh  courage  and  wish 
to  remain  in  Namaqualand,  which  they  permitted 
us  to  do.  And  now,  I  am  here  in  Cape  Town,  to 
look  after  the  printing  of  the  entire  Bible  in  the 
Namaqua  language.  We  have  ten  thousand  mem- 
bers in  our  churches  and  some  excellent  schools  at 
our  stations." 


HUGUENOT  COLLEGE  137 

It  is  years  since  the  above  was  told  me.  I  do 
not  see  their  mission  reports  or  magazines,  which 
are  printed  in  another  language.  They  were  so  far 
from  us  we  had  little  chance  to  see  or  hear  of  their 
work,  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  Christian  influ- 
ence of  that  faithful  band  of  missionaries  has  con- 
tinued in  all  parts  of  Namaqualand.  We  know  that 
in  these  later  years  they  have  had  many  persecu- 
tions and  bitter  trials  from  the  wars,  and  the  inva- 
sion of  white  settlers.  The  country  was  taken  over 
by  the  German  government,  and  many  hard  and 
exacting  laws  were  made  to  control  the  people  and 
collect  taxes.  We  cannot  know  what  changes  the 
great  European  war  may  bring  to  that  and  other 
parts  of  the  country  which  have  been  taken  by  South 
Africa  for  England  since  the  beginning  of  the  pres- 
ent war. 

From  Cape  Town,  on  my  return  to  Natal,  the 
steamer  was  crowded  with  officers  and  men  of  the 
English  army,  going  there,  as  the  British  had  made 
war  on  the  last  of  the  Zulu  kings,  Cetewayo,  and  his 
people.  Later,  they  met  with  a  great  disaster  at 
Isandhlwana,  where  a  regiment  was  surrounded  by 
the  Zulus  and  killed.  They  also  were  besieged  for 
some  time  by  them  at  Eshowe  in  Zululand.  At 
last  the  Zulus  were  repulsed  and  their  capital 
taken. 

At  that  time  there  was  a  large  hospital  for  English 
soldiers,  about  five  miles  from  Umvoti.  I  often  went 
over  there  to  take  fruit  and  eggs  for  the  sick.  Many 
died  from  typhoid  and  dysentery. 

Prince  Louis  Napoleon  (son  of  Emperor  Napoleon 


138       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

III,  and  his  wife,  the  Empress  Eugenie),  was  con- 
nected with  the  British  army.  One  day,  when  out 
with  a  small  party  reconnoitering,  they  were  sur- 
prised, and  he  was  killed  by  a  party  of  Zulus.  They 
supposed  he  was  an  English  officer,  and  would  not 
have  killed  him  had  they  known  who  he  was.  His 
remains  were  taken  to  the  Catholic  Church  in  Dur- 
ban, and  from  there  to  the  steamer,  which  conveyed 
them  to  England  and  to  his  greatly  afflicted,  widowed 
mother.  A  tablet  has  been  erected  at  the  spot  where 
he  was  killed,  and  is  cared  for  by  Zulus.  After  the 
war,  his  mother,  the  ex-Empress  Eugenie,  visited 
Natal,  and  the  place  where  he  died,  alsO'  Durban, 
and  the  church  where  his  body  had  been. 

Cetewayo,  the  Zulu  king,  was  captured,  and  his 
country  taken  over  by  the  English  government. 
After  two  or  three  years  he  was  released,  but  died 
in  1884. 

On  the  coast  south  of  Natal,  in  the  Cape  Colony, 
is  a  great  tract  of  land  called  Kaffraria,  where  a 
number  of  large  tribes  of  natives  are  settled.  They 
have  been  very  warlike,  and  within  the  past  century 
have  caused  the  English  government  much  trouble. 
Mission  work  has  been  carried  on  there  by  Scotch 
and  English  missionaries ;  fine  schools  have  been  es- 
tablished, one  at  Lovedale,  which  is  the  largest  in 
South  Africa,  for  the  natives. 

A  tribe  called  Fingoes,  of  Zulu  origin,  has  become 
practically  civilized.  I  quote  from  a  report  given 
by  an  English  officer:  "Most  of  the  people  are 
well-dressed  in  European  clothes.  They  cultivate 
the   ground  extensively,   using  plows,   and   raising 


HUGUENOT  COLLEGE  139 

large  quantities  of  grain  for  sale.  Fine  flocks  of 
sheep  and  cattle  graze  on  their  pastures,  they  get 
quite  a  large  income  from  their  wool,  and  have  oxen 
and  wagons ;  nearly  every  man  owns  a  horse  and 
saddle.  Their  agricultural  shows  would  be  a  credit 
to  any  division  of  the  colony.  They  have  made  roads 
and  built  a  number  of  churches  and  school-houses, 
although  they  are  not  all  Christians.  Some  of  the 
young  men  have  learned  trades.  The  tribe  has  vol- 
untarily raised  three  thousand  pounds  towards  es- 
tablishing an  industrial  school." 

Another  large  tribe  in  that  part  of  the  country, 
the  Amaxoze,  clung  to  old  heathen  superstitions.  In 
spite  of  all  that  could  be  done  to  prevent  it,  by  the 
English  magistrate,  a  Christian  man,  other  English 
officers  and  the  missionaries,  the  tribe  brought  upon 
itself  the  greatest  tragedy  that  has  ever  been  known 
south  of  the  equator,  which  nearly  destroyed  it.  This 
happened  about  fourteen  years  before  my  going  to 
Africa.  Mr.  Brownley,  who  was  for  many  years 
the  English  magistrate  there,  visited  our  station  at 
Umvoti,  some  years  later,  and  told  us  the  story  of 
that  dreadful  time. 

A  native  girl,  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  council- 
lors to  the  chief  of  the  tribe,  went  one  morning  to 
get  water  at  a  stream  near  her  home,  and,  on  return- 
ing, told  her  father  that  strange  men  were  at  the 
Stream.  The  father  went  there  and  also  saw  them. 
He  claimed  one  of  them  to  be  his  brother,  who  had 
died  years  before,  and  that  they  told  him  they  all 
came  from  across  the  sea  and  brought  a  great  secret 
to  the  tribe,  which  he  and  his  daughter  would  be  the 


140       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

medium  through  which  they  would  convey  it  to  the 
people. 

The  call  went  out,  the  chief  was  pleased,  and 
multitudes  flocked  to  the  place,  while  the  girl,  stand- 
ing in  the  river,  said  she  heard  voices  under  her  feet. 
Her  father  interpreted  those  voices.  He  said  the 
spirits  demanded  they  kill  their  cattle  and  destroy 
their  grain  ;  then  when  this  had  been  done,  in  all  parts 
of  the  country  where  the  tribe  lived,  on  a  certain 
day  the  sky  would  fall  and  crush  the  white  people 
and  the  Fingo  tribe ;  as  the  sun  rose  myriads  of 
cattle,  finer  and  larger  than  those  killed,  would  come 
up  out  of  the  ground  and  cover  the  pastures  far 
and  wide.  Great  fields  of  grain  would  spring  up  in 
an  instant,  ready  to  eat,  and  the  ancient  heroes  of 
the  race  would  be  restored  to  life;  trouble  and  sick- 
ness would  be  no  more. 

The  people  were  completely  carried  away  with  this 
unreasonable,  unaccountable  and  fanatical  tale.  The 
killing  of  cattle  and  the  destruction  of  grain  began, 
and  went  steadily  on  for  months.  Some  refused  to 
kill  all  their  cattle,  or  destroy  all  their  grain,  hiding 
them  in  the  mountains.  They  would  be  searched  out, 
and  compelled  to  obey  the  order.  One,  a  noted 
councillor  of  the  chief,  did  all  that  he  could  to  stop 
this  mad  frenzy,  and,  not  being  able  to  do  so,  killed 
himself.  Some  of  the  smaller,  adjoining  tribes  joined 
in  the  delirium ;  others  refused  to  do  so ;  many  were 
threatened  with  death.  It  is  estimated  that  two 
hundred  thousand  cattle  were  killed. 

At  length  the  day  dawned  that  had  been  so  long  and 
ardently  looked  for.    The  night  before  had  been  one 


HUGUENOT  COLLEGE  141 

of  joy  to  the  people,  although  they  were  nearly 
starving.  They  waited  and  watched  for  the  sunrise.  , 
It  came,  bright  and  clear,  flooding  the  country  with 
light,  as  the  hearts  of  the  famished  people  sank 
within  them.  But  still  they  waited,  hoping  that  at 
midday  the  great  resurrection  would  appear.  Then 
until  sunset  they  continued  to  wait,  when  they  awoke 
to  their  dreadful  position. 

The  horrors  that  succeeded  can  be  only  partly  told. 
Men  who  were  then  heathen  and  now  are  Christians, 
say  they  do  not  like  to  think  or  speak  of  it ;  the 
whole  scene  comes  home  to  them  like  a  hideous 
nightmare,  or  as  if  one  were  in  a  delirium.  Whole 
families  lay  down  and  died  together.  Fifteen  or 
twenty  skeletons  were  frequently  found  under  one 
tree. 

With  no  railroad,  the  difficulties  of  getting  food 
into  the  country  were  great.  The  English  govern- 
ment did  all  it  could  to  help  the  people  in  their  dis- 
tress ;  but  more  than  sixty  thousand  of  that  tribe 
died  of  starvation  and  disease.  Many  died  by  the 
wayside,  trying  to  get  out  of  the  country  and  find 
food.  The  skeletons  of  others  were  found  where 
people  died  looking  down  into  the  great  pits  which 
they  had  made  to  receive  the  expected  grain,  no 
doubt  still  hoping  it  would  come. 

The  girl  who  started  this  wild  fanaticism  escaped, 
but  her  father  perished.  She  never  returned  to  that 
part  of  the  country  or  to  her  tribe.  She  lived  for  a 
number  of  years,  but  preserved  an  unbroken  silence 
concerning  the  deeds  in  which  she  had  played  so 
prominent  a  part.    Her  name  was  Nomqause. 


XIII 
INCORRECT  IMPRESSIONS 

PEOPLE  who  are  not  in  close  touch  with  the 
foreign  mission  field,  whether  living  in  those 
lands,  or  in  our  homeland,  too  often  seem 
to  have  false  impressions  of  what  is  being  done,  and 
appear  to  be  incredulous  as  to  the  sincerity  of  those 
who  have  come  out  from  heathenism  and  professed 
Christianity.  Not  infrequently  those  wrong  impres- 
sions lead  to  unjust  criticisms  in  regard  to  what  is 
actually  and  widely  accomplished. 

It  is  found  that  such  reports  usually  start  with 
people  who  have  very  little  interest  in  any  philan- 
thropic work  and  who  take  less  interest  in  finding 
out  the  truth  in  regard  to  the  uplift  of  others.  There 
is  so  much  that  crowds  into  my  mind  of  what  I  have 
known  of  those  incorrect  impressions  of  mission 
work,  that  I  venture  to  add  to  these  pages  a  few 
thoughts  on  the  subject,  with  the  hope  that  I  may, 
so  far  as  possible,  correct  some  of  those  erroneous 
ideas. 

To  show  how  a  false  story  may  live  and  grow, 
with  little  or  no  foundation,  I  will  choose  the  fol- 
lowing from  many  that  could  be  told. 

On  board  the  steamer,  from  England  to  Natal, 
when  I  first  went  to  Africa,  I  heard  some  strange 
tales  of  mission  work,  and  the  uselessness  of  such 

142 


INCORRECT  IMPRESSIONS  143 

efforts  for  that  land.  A  sugar  planter,  returning 
to  his  estate  in  Natal,  one  day  at  table,  told  how  one 
of  the  oldest  of  our  missionaries  there,  after  having 
spent  many  years  trying  to  help  the  natives,  had 
said  he  v^as  not  sure  that  one  Zulu  had  become  a 
Christian.  The  story-teller  took  pains  to  explain 
what  a  fine  cultured  and  very  much  respected  man  this 
missionary  was,  and  what  a  shame  he  thought  it  for 
such  a  person  to  sacrifice  his  life  and  the  lives  of  his 
family  for  no  better  object.  Apparently  he  did  not 
tell  this  to  be  rude,  but  to  strengthen  his  contention 
that  mission  work  for  the  Zulus  was  not  worth  the 
effort  made  to  civilize  and  Christianize  them. 

I  was  perplexed  to  understand  how  that  story 
could  be  true,  although  the  narrator  passed  for  a 
gentleman  on  board  ship.  He  said  he  had  never 
been  to  a  mission  station,  and  did  not  often  go  to 
church.  After  that  I  heard  him  boast  how  he  gave 
what  he  made  in  gambling,  on  a  voyage,  to  the  little 
English  church  near  his  estate.  I  will  not  stop  to 
tell  the  history  of  this  man,  as  I  afterward  heard  it, 
or  of  his  subsequent  career  before  he  died. 

After  reaching  Natal  and  becoming  acquainted 
with  that  missionary,  I  ventured  one  day  to  tell 
him  of  what  I  had  heard  on  board  ship.  He  got 
up  and  walked  the  floor  for  a  few  moments,  and 
said,  "  Then  that  groundless  falsehood  is  still  being 
circulated !  I  have  denied  and  explained  how  false 
it  is,  again  and  again,  in  public  as  well  as  in  private. 
It  started  in  this  way:  An  English  officer  of  the 
civil  service  stopped  at  my  station  one  day  about 
noon,  I  asked  him  to  stay  for  dinner  and  to  get  his 


lU       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

horse  fed.  As  he  talked,  one  could  soon  see  that 
he  had  no  real  sympathy  with  mission  work,  in  fact 
knew  very  little  about  it;  but  was  ready  to  express 
his  opinion  on  this  subject,  as  well  as  on  others.  He 
wondered  how  I  could  be  interested  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Zulus  and  willing  to  devote  my  life  to 
such  an  object.  As  he  got  on  his  horse  to  ride  away, 
he  said,  '  You  know  I  would  like  to  ask  you  if,  on 
your  station,  there  is  one  Zulu  whom  you  believe  to 
be  a  real  Christian  ?  '  In  reply  I  pointed  to  a  Zulu 
man  a  little  distance  away,  and  asked,  '  Do  you  see 
that  man?    Well,  if  any  one  is  a  Christian,  he  is.' 

"  Apparently  the  guest  did  not  comprehend  the 
reply,  or  he  may  not  have  wished  to  tell  the  truth. 
However,  he  rode  away  and  told  far  and  near,  that 
the  missionary  had  himself  told  him  he  was  not  sure, 
after  all  those  years,  if  one  native  on  the  station  was 
a  Christian !  At  the  time,  '  Scobongo,'  the  native 
referred  to,  with  a  number  of  others,  had  been  a 
member  of  the  church  for  several  years  and  was 
an  earnest  Christian." 

He  lived  many  years  after  I  went  to  Natal,  and 
I  knew  him  quite  well.  I  never  heard  but  that  he 
was  a  good  man.  When  he  died,  he  had  been  a 
member  of  the  church  for  over  fifty  years.  Yet 
again  and  again  I  heard  this  story,  or  of  its  being 
told  to  others.  Explain  or  deny  it,  still  it  would  be 
told  to  new  arrivals,  as  a  fact. 

When  aged  and  feeble,  the  missionary  returned 
to  his  native  land.  Before  he  left  Natal,  a  large 
farewell  meeting  was  held  for  him  by  English 
friends,  in  Durban.     Just  at  the  close  of  the  meet- 


INCORRECT  IMPRESSIONS  145 

ing,  an  old  acquaintance  said  to  him,  "  We,  who  have 
known  you  so  well  and  also  known  the  great  work 
you  have  done  for  white  colonists,  as  well  as  for 
the  Zulus,  want  to  ask  you  to  explain  once  more, 
for  others,  who  have  not  heard  you  as  we  did  years 
ago,  that  false  and  unfounded  slander  in  regard  to 
what  you  said  of  native  conversions,  which  is  still 
circulated  so  incorrectly.  Without  doubt  the  reason 
for  its  being  so  persistently  repeated  is  because  of 
the  prejudice  against  missions,  in  some  minds,  and 
if  you  will  pardon  me  for  saying  so,  the  very  high 
regard  in  which  you  have  always  been  held  in  the 
colony,  has  helped  to  make  the  story  popular." 

I  was  present,  and,  for  the  second  time,  heard  it 
plainly  and  simply  denied,  as  a  false  and  groundless 
statement.  Not  a  year  later,  while  at  dinner  in  a  hotel 
in  Durban,  I  heard  it  most  glibly  told  by  a  person 
who  was  a  stranger  to  me,  as  I  was  to  nearly  all 
present.  Newcomers  appeared  to  be  taking  it  in. 
How  useless  to  try  to  say  anything !  I  have  no  doubt 
but  that  it  is  still  frequently  told  in  South  Africa. 
Newspapers  in  Natal  occasionally  print  encouraging 
and  appreciative  accounts  of  mission  work  in  the 
country ;  but,  too  often,  there  are  published  views 
which  are  narrow,  one-sided,  and  incorrect. 

A  statement  was  published  in  a  Durban  paper,  to 
the  effect  that  the  great  majority  of  educated  native 
men,  turned  out  to  be  criminals.  On  investigation 
it  was  found  that  in  one  jail  there  were  forty-seven 
natives  confined ;  of  these  only  one  could  read  or 
write.  In  one  of  the  larger  towns  there  were  a  hun- 
dred and  sixty-eight  natives  and  only  ten  of  these 


146       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

could  either  read  or  write.  "  In  looking  over  the 
Statistical  Year  Book,"  said  the  investigator,  "  I  was 
startled  at  the  number  of  white  criminals  in  propor- 
tion to  the  population  of  the  colony,  as  compared 
with  the  coloured.  During  that  year  one  white  out 
of  every  six  hundred  and  fifty,  was  convicted  of 
felony,  while  only  one  out  of  one  thousand  and 
thirty-nine,  of  the  coloured  population,  was  so  con- 
victed." 

In  Durban  the  employers  of  forty-six  young  Zulu 
men,  who  had  been  in  the  training  school  of  the 
mission  at  Amanzimtote,  were  interviewed.  Out  of 
forty-six  there  was  unqualified  approval  of  forty- 
three.  They  were  employed  by  lawyers,  in  telephone 
ofifices,  for  electric  work,  in  post  offices,  in  shipping 
and  other  large  firms,  city  markets,  grocery  stores, 
carpenter,  shoe,  and  harness  shops.  In  a  number 
of  cases  they  had  been  employed  in  the  same  places 
for  from  five  to  fifteen  years. 

"  I  will  make  only  a  few  quotations.  Large  firm : 
'  Have  had  five  boys  for  twelve  years,  no  complaint.' 
Post  office :  '  Not  a  word  of  complaint.'  Large 
firm :  '  One  hundred  times  better  than  uneducated 
natives.  No  drinking,  no  swearing,  or  quarrelling 
with   anybody.     Always  ready   for  work.' 

"  Of  those  who  have  attended  the  mission  train- 
ing school  and  seminary  for  native  boys,  at  Aman- 
zimtote for  over  fifty  years,  the  history  of  eight  hun- 
dred is  known.  Of  this  number,  only  eleven  have 
been  convicted  of  any  crime,  which  is  less  than  one 
and  a  half  per  cent.  Of  these  figures  need  we  be 
ashamed  ?     And  yet  we  do  not  by  any  means  con- 


INCORRECT  IMPRESSIONS  147 

sider  those  working  in  the  towns  our  best  product. 
There  are  teachers,  pastors,  evangehsts,  and  many- 
others,  who  are  looked  upon  with  pride  and  satisfac- 
tion, by  missionaries,  as  well  as  by  Christian  people 
and  honest  critics." 

No  one,  I  am  sure,  is  more  quick  to  see  the  faults 
of  station  natives,  or  feels  more  keenly  their  fall 
into  temptation  and  sin,  than  does  the  missionary. 
How  then,  can  he  fail  to  regard  and  quickly  recog- 
nize exaggerated  and  untruthful  statements  of  facts, 
in  regard  to  the  carrying  out  of  Jesus'  last  com- 
mand. 

The  bad  influence  of  the  wars  in  South  Africa, 
of  the  mines  and  of  drink,  with  the  civilization  in  all 
parts  of  the  country  selfishly  crowding  its  claims 
upon  the  natives,  who,  in  small  proportion,  as  yet, 
have  had  a  chance  to  receive  a  true  knowledge  of 
right  principles  or  Christian  teaching,  adds  greatly 
to  the  evils  of  their  heathenism. 

Can  one  wonder  that  the  difficulties  the  missions 
have  to  meet  on  every  side,  are  great  ?  Or  that  there 
is  an  increasing  number  of  natives,  who,  as  I  have 
said  in  a  previous  chapter,  dress  in  a  civilized  way 
and  have  learned  many  vices  of  civilization  to  add 
to  their  heathenism  and  carry  back  to  their  homes, 
without  any  ideas  of  real  Christianity? 

Such  persons  are  too  often  called  "  Christians " 
by  people  who  do  not  care  to  know  otherwise.  Yet 
that  class  of  natives  is  far  more  difficult  to  reach  and 
influence  than  the  raw  heathen. 

As  a  writer  has  said,  "  The  teaching  of  the  Bible 
does  not  degrade,  spoil,  or  demoralize.     It  uplifts, 


148       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

improves,  purifies.  The  real  sources  of  antipathy 
towards  missions  are  to  be  found  in  the  appaUing 
ungodliness,  class  prejudice,  ignorance,  and  selfish- 
ness of  the  dominant  powers." 

But  human  nature  is  much  the  same  the  world 
over,  and  natives  from  mission  stations,  like  other 
people,  will  sometimes  make  bad  use  of  their  ability 
to  read  and  write.  Yet  the  proportion  is  small,  as 
has  been  proven  by  statistics  gathered  from  the  most 
reliable  sources  obtainable  in  Natal,  such  as  the 
Government  Statistical  Year  Book,  the  superinten- 
dent of  police,  in  Durban,  magistrates,  jail  superin- 
tendents, and  others. 

In  a  letter  from  the  superintendent  of  police,  to 
one  of  our  missionaries,  who  made  the  investigation, 
he  said :  "  My  remarks  about  writing  are  borne  out 
daily  in  our  court.  Orders  for  liquor,  passes  to  be 
out  after  nine,  and  letters  both  in  English  and  Zulu, 
are  constantly  found  upon  natives,  written  by  na- 
tives. 

"  It  is  the  usual  result  of  education  amongst  the 
lower  classes  of  both  whites  and  blacks.  The  good 
seed  of  Christianity  will  fall  upon  some  bad  ground, 
no  matter  how  careful  the  sower  may  be.  It  takes 
the  best  husbandman  many  years  of  toil  and  care 
to  make  new  ground  fit  to  bear  good  seed  only ;  we 
must  expect  weeds.  I  am  a  believer  in  Christianity 
for  all  men,  and  I  look  upon  our  natives  as  the  finest 
race  of  blacks  in  the  world.  My  eighty  native  con- 
stables are  the  backbone  of  my  force.  My  own  ser- 
vants for  many  years  have  been,  and  now  are,  the 
children  of  a  mission  native.     They  can  read  and 


INCORRECT  IMPRESSIONS  149 

write  almost  as  well  as  my  own.  So  you  must  not 
imagine  that  I  do  not  appreciate  missionary  work. 
The  investigator  makes  the  following  comment  m 
regard  to  natives  who  can  write:  "These  orders 
and  passes  are  probably  written  by  very  few  natives. 
The  reports  published  from  time  to  time,  seem  to 
indicate  that  such  is  the  fact.  The  number  of  let- 
ters does  not  indicate  the  number  that  can  write. 
It  is  a  matter  of  constant  observation  at  a  mission 
station,  that  many  heathen  people,  who  can  neither 
read  nor  write  a  word  themselves,  still  receive  and 
send  letters  through  the  help  of  friends  who  can." 

I  once  heard  a  beautiful  story  of  a  person  who 
went  to  see  a  wonderful  and  noted  picture.  It  was 
in  a  room  made  for  it.  The  guide  went  far  into 
the  room,  and  stood  waiting  for  the  visitor  to  follow 
him,  but  he  remained  at  the  threshold  and  said,  "  I 
see  no  beauty  in  the  canvas  which  is  here  on  the 
wall."  The  guide  said,  "  Come  in,  oh !  come  into 
the  Hght  where  you  can  see  the  beauty  of  it."  He 
did  so,  and  it  was  all  transformed  from  an  ugly 
canvas  to  the  most  exquisite  painting  that  he  had 

ever  seen. 

I  sometimes  feel  that  not  only  selfish  and  irre- 
ligious people  dislike  and  criticize  foreign  mission 
work,  but  those  also  who  beUeve  in  God  and  the 
Christ.  Surely  they  must  be  standing  at  the 
threshold  and  have  not  followed  the  Guide  far 
enough  into  the  light  of  the  teaching  of  the  Master 
to  see  the  beauty  that  may  be  found  in  the  character 
of  those  whose  appearance  is  unlike  their  own. 

When  in  England  it  was  my  privilege  to  visit  the 


150       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

Lake  country.  One  day  we  stood  on  a  lonely  hilltop, 
about  a  mile  from  Derwentwater,  where  is  one  of 
those  wonderful  old  Druidical  circles  made  of  great 
boulders,  still  standing  in  some  degree  as  it  used 
to  be  when,  perhaps,  our  ancestors  worshipped  there, 
dancing  round  their  human  sacrifices  in  their  war 
paint.  They  then  had  fewer  cooking  utensils,  fewer 
implements  of  agriculture,  than  the  heathen  Zulu  of 
to-day  has  in  his  kraal  home. 

In  the  first  century  there  was  "  plenty  tO'  do  at 
home,"  in  wicked  Jerusalem,  yet  Paul,  the  educated 
Pharisee,  he  who  had  sat  at  the  feet  of  the  great 
teacher,  Gamaliel,  was  sent  with  Barnabas  to  the 
Gentiles.  With  them  went  also  "  chosen  men."  Be- 
cause the  early  church  gave  up  such  choice  helpers 
for  mission  work,  we  have  the  Gospel  to  lead  us 
into  the  clearer  light,  where  we  can  see  the  beauty 
of  the  risen  Lord.  Many  an  intelligent  Roman,  per- 
haps, in  the  early  days,  asserted  over  and  over  again 
that  it  would  be  better  to  leave  the  Britons  in  their 
original  barbarism. 

When  we,  the  descendants  of  Britons,  put  our- 
selves out  of  the  way  to  express  our  lack  of  interest 
in  missions  and  catch  at  a  criticism  which  we  can  pass 
on  to  others,  it  is  well  to  remember  that  we  come 
of  a  race  that  was  not  quick  to  accept  Christianity; 
that  relapsed  many  times  into  heathenism,  and  years 
went  by  before  the  nation  accepted  the  truth. 
Think  of  the  wonderful  development  of  Christianity 
through  the  influence  of  missions,  during  the  past 
fifty  years,  and  of  the  unselfish  zeal  and  earnestness 
shown  by  converts  made  in  many  foreign  lands. 


INCORRECT  IMPRESSIONS  151 

Then,  too,  their  martyrdom  ever  shows  to  the 
world  how  Christians  under  most  barbarous  and 
cruel  circumstances  can  go  down  into  the  valley 
and  shadow  of  death  trustingly  and  bravely  meeting 
it  rather  than  deny  their  Lord. 

How  can  a  Christian  woman  say  she  is  not  inter- 
ested in  missions  ?  Not  interested  in  missions  !  How 
strange !  Can  she  be  a  Christian  and  not  willing  to 
give  to  others  that  which  has  done  so  much  for  her? 
Does  she  read  history?  Can  she  afford  not  to  be 
interested  in  missions,  in  this  twentieth  century? 

It  is  true,  contact  with  sin  is  never  inviting. 
Christ-like  service  for  the  low  and  degraded  is  not 
sentimentality.  It  means  love  for  God,  prayer,  toil, 
patience,  and  obedience.  But  Christ  died  for  us 
when  we  were  yet  sinners.  Through  the  ages  to  the 
present  time,  sinful  human  nature  in  dominant  per- 
sons and  nations,  does  not  willingly  permit  others 
less   favoured  to  rise. 

One  hears  the  oft-repeated  tale  from  many  lands, 
as  well  as  in  South  Africa,  that  the  Christianized 
natives  are  made  no  better  by  being  taught.  This  is 
so  foolishly  false  and  so  easily  proven  untrue,  one 
wonders  what  regard  a  person  who  makes  such  state- 
ments, has  for  justice  and  truth. 

The  Gospel  sieve  the  world  over  is  doing  its  work 
among  both  white  and  coloured  peoples,  the  edu- 
cated and  the  uneducated.  Some  accept  the  truth, 
and  their  whole  lines  of  thought  and  purpose  are 
changed,  as  they  live  new  and  better  lives ;  others 
reject  Christ  and  His  teachings  and  become  more 
and  more  hardened  in  selfishness  and  sin. 


152       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

Is  it  fair  to  point  only  to  the  chaff,  in  any  coun- 
try, and  say,  "  Behold  the  Christian  ?  " 

In  travelling,  as  well  as  at  other  times,  one  is  sure 
to  meet  a  class  of  people  who  may  have  visited  other 
lands  beside  their  own,  and  who  are  eager  for  lis- 
teners, to  whom  they  can  tell  their  stock  stories, 
among  which  are  sure  to  be  some  on  the  failures 
of  mission  work  and  the  uselessness  of  societies 
sending  missionaries  to  unchristianized  countries. 
They  are  like  the  man  who  said  there  were  no  tigers 
in  India,  because  he  had  not  seen  one,  or  gone  where 
they  were.  Such  people  pick  up  their  information 
from  travellers,  like  themselves,  who  know  little  of 
tigers  or  missionaries,  and  do  not  care  to  go  out  of 
their  way  to  find  out.  What  would  those  same  people 
be  able  to  tell  of  Christian  work  in  London,  New 
York,  or  any  other  large  city?  Yet  they  could  tell 
you  some  big  stories  about  the  evils  of  such  cities 
and  of  what  they  think  the  churches  are  not 
doing. 

If  they  happen  to  hear  them,  how  quickly  they 
can  forget  to  tell  of  the  Christians  in  the  Fiji  Islands, 
Korea,  Japan,  India,  Turkey;  of  Uganda,  since  Mr. 
Stanley's  visit  there,  and  about  the  Christians  in 
many  other  parts  of  Africa,  or  the  following  from 
rulers  in  other  lands : 

The  King  of  Siam  has  said  publicly :  "  American 
missionaries  have  done  more  to  advance  the  welfare 
of  my  people  than  any  other  foreign  influence." 

The  prime  minister  of  Japan  has  stated  that 
"  Japan's  progress  and  development  are  largely  due 
to   the   influence   of   missionaries,    exerted    in    right 


INCORRECT  IMPRESSIONS  153 

directions  when  Japan  was  first  studying  the  outer 

world." 

The  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Bengal  says :  "In 
my  judgment,  Christian  missionaries  have  done  more 
real  and  lasting  good  to  the  people  of  India  than 
all  other  agencies  combined.  They  have  been  the 
salt    of    the    country    and    the    saviours    of    the 

empire." 

A  late  British  Ambassador  to  Turkey  affirmed: 
"  The  one  bright  spot  in  the  darkness  that  has  cov- 
ered Asiatic  Turkey  has  been  the  heroism  and  com- 
mon sense  of  the  American  missionaries." 

A  Persian  Minister  to  America  said :  "  I  have 
always  considered  the  presence  of  your  missionaries 
in  Persia  a  providential  blessing." 

After  the  Boxer  movement  in  China,  our  Am- 
bassador there,  E.  H.  Conger,  wrote  to  the  Ameri- 
can missionaries  who  had  been  besieged  with  his 
Embassy :  "  I  beg  in  this  hour  of  our  deliverance, 
to  express  what  I  know  to  be  the  universal  senti- 
ment of  the  diplomatic  corps,  the  sincere  apprecia- 
tion of  and  profound  gratitude  for  the  inestimable 
help  which  you  and  the  native  Christians  under  your 
charge  have  rendered  toward  our  preservation. 
Without  your  intelligent  and  successful  planning 
and  the  uncomplaining  execution  of  the  Chinese,  I 
believe  our  salvation  would  have  been  im- 
possible." 

A  gentleman  who  travelled  round  the  world 
with  ex-Vice-President  Fairchild,  said  to  a  member 
of  the  "  Men  and  Religion  Movement "  in  America : 
"  One   mission   station   can   do   more   good   than  a 


154       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

fleet  of  warships."  The  listener  quoted  this  remark 
at  a  dinner  in  Princeton,  N.  J.  A  United  States 
Admiral  was  present.  "  Yes,"  said  the  Admiral, 
after  quietly  thinking  a  moment,  "  that  is  true." 

We  who  have  been  in  the  mission  work  know 
how  it  opens  up  to  us  in  ways  that  the  world  does 
not.  In  spite  of  its  trials,  discouragements,  and  hard- 
ships, it  grows  upon  us  as  a  great  need  that  is  worth 
working  for.  That  is  why  we  love  it  and  why  our 
hearts  are  filled  with  regret  when  it  is  necessary 
for  us  to  give  it  up.  Frequently,  some  of  the  most 
noble  and  cultured  men  and  women  of  our  land,  go 
out  as  missionaries  and  become  so  imbued  with  the 
work  and  its  needs,  that  after  many  years  of  service, 
they  return  to  their  native  country  only  when 
obliged  to  do  so. 

Such  and  many  other  facts  well-known  in  our  day 
and  age  to  the  average  reader,  ought  to  make  even 
the  thoughtless  critic  stop  to  realize  how  weak  his 
patronizing  and  inaccurate  words  must  sound  to  an 
intelligent  and  fair-minded  person,  who  compre- 
hends the  greatness  of  what  missions  are  doing  for 
the  world. 

Hamilton  W.  Mabie,  D.D.,  has  very  truly  said : 
"  Our  interest  in  missions  is  the  mark  of  our  Chris- 
tian character;  our  knowledge  of  missions  is  the 
measure  of  our  Christian  attainment;  our  participa- 
tion in  missions  is  the  measure  of  our  Christian  effi- 
ciency." 

And  George  A.  Gordon  adds  this  impressive 
word:  "What  are  Foreign  Missions?  The  flying 
shuttle   that   weaves   and   weaves   and   weaves   the 


INCORRECT  IMPRESSIONS     155 

seamless  robe  of  the  Lord  Christ,  till  it  is  ample 
enough  to  cover  those  at  home  and  those  abroad; 
till  it  is  great  enough  to  overshadow  our  entire 
humanity  with  the  sense  of  the  Infinite  Compassion 
and  the  Eternal  Love." 


XIV 

JUBILEE     MEETING     AND     VISIT     TO 
AMERICA 

THERE  is  no  malaria  in  Natal,  unless  it  is 
brought  there  by  some  one  who  has  contracted 
it  before  he  comes,  but  there  are  other  fevers 
and  diseases  that  are  very  severe,  sometimes  coming 
without  any  known  cause,  and  occasionally  an  epi- 
demic, such  as  typhoid,  meningitis,  grippe,  and  dysen- 
tery. 

Although  the  weather  is  very  hot  nine  months  in 
the  year,  yet  Natal  is  by  no  means  considered  an  un- 
healthy country  in  which  to  live.  In  the  pleasant 
winter  months  there  are  days  of  hot  winds  from  the 
north,  which  are  very  trying.  Some  people  claim 
they  cannot  help  being  cross  when  such  winds  are 
coming,  the  air  is  so  fatiguing.  There  is  a  dead  still- 
ness, not  a  leaf  moves  or  a  bird  sings,  as  the  red  sun 
rises  in  a  cloudless  sky.  The  doors  and  windows  of 
houses  are  closed  to  keep  in  what  cool  morning  air 
there  may  be,  and  keep  out  the  hot  air.  After  a  few 
hours,  if  you  open  a  door  or  window,  the  heat  strikes 
your  face  as  it  would  if  you  were  near  a  hot  oven. 
I  have  seen  fine,  large  beds  of  balsams  drop  to  the 
ground  as  if  hot  water  had  been  thrown  on  them. 
Other  shrubs  are  wilted  and  spoiled,  but  there  are 
few  crops  at  that  season  to  be  injured.     Usually, 

156 


JUBILEE  MEETING  157 

before  noon,  a  strong  scorching  wind  begins  to  blow, 
which  may  become  cooler  toward  night,  or  bring  rain. 
A  person  who  kept  count,  said  there  were  thirty  such 
days  one  year.  I  think  that  generally  there  are 
not  more  than  twenty  in  a  year. 

The  winters  are  frequently  a  succession  of  cool, 
pleasant  days,  with  little  rain,  when  the  grass  and 
trees  lose  their  pretty  green  hue  for  lack  of  moisture, 
but  not  many  of  the  leaves  drop  ofif.    There  is  plenty 
of  rain  at  other  seasons.     About  October  things  be- 
gin to  look  fresh  and  green  again,  and  continue  so 
till  May.    January  and  February  were  the  most  hot 
and  trying  months  of  the  year,  to  me.     That,  with 
the  moss  on  the   south   side  of  the  trees  and  the 
change  of  stars  in  the  sky,  are  some  of  the  things, 
which,  for  a  long  time,  one  does  not  get  accustomed 
to.     But  the  stars  were  beautiful,  and  the  Southern 
Cross,  a  joy  to  be  seen,  shining  in  its  radiant  glory. 
After  having  been  in  Africa  for  fifteen  years,  I 
was  quite  suddenly,  in  May,  stricken  down  with  the 
worst  form  of  typhoid  fever.    There  was  then  a  good 
English  doctor  five  miles  from  us.    The  missionary's 
wife  was  not  young  or  strong ;  but  an  English  woman 
could  come  for  a  time,  and  she,  the  missionary  and 
a  native  girl,  took  excellent  care  of  me.    One  of  the 
single  ladies  of  our  mission  came  more  than  a  hun- 
dred miles,   and  greatly  helped   in   caring   for  me, 
two  of  the  most  trying  weeks.    All  was  very  lovingly 
and  kindly  done.     Dear  mission  associates,  how   I 
love  to  remember  them!     Not  any  of  us  were  per- 
fect, and  we  could  not  always  see  alike,  yet  there 
was  a  charity,  a  family  feeling  for  each  other,  not 


158       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

unlike  Christian  brothers  and  sisters  of  a  home,  scat- 
tered in  their  work,  yet  interested  in  what  each  is 
doing,  with  care  and  a  feeUng  of  responsibility  one 
for  the  other.  After  three  weeks  the  fever  turned, 
and  for  days  I  lay  almost  lifeless;  then,  with  the 
continued  blessing  of  God  and  the  kind  care  of 
friends,  I  began  to  gain  strength. 

That  was  the  Jubilee  Year  of  the  mission,  which 
was  to  be  celebrated  in  December  at  Amenzimtoti 
Station,  where  also  a  new  building  was  to  be 
dedicated  for  the  boys'  seminary,  and  named  "  Jubilee 
Hall."  Long  before  I  was  ill  I  had  been  urged  by 
the  mission  to  take  charge  of  the  cuisine  depart- 
ment for  the  occasion.  The  ladies  of  the  mission 
kindly  offered  to  aid  me,  if  I  would  undertake  it. 
I  finally  consented  to  do  so,  knowing  that  they  would, 
as  far  as  possible,  relieve  me  of  many  of  the  details. 

Not  only  was  our  own  mission  to  be  entertained, 
with  their  families,  for  a  week,  but  English  ministers 
and  old  friends  in  the  colony  were  to  be  invited  for 
a  day  or  two  at  a  time,  through  the  meeting,  so  that 
the  daily  average  of  persons  to  plan  for  would  be 
fifty  or  sixty.  One  day  was  to  be  set  apart  as  the 
public  day  of  the  series,  with  the  opening  of  the 
new  building  by  the  Governor  of  Natal,  and  then 
its  dedication,  after  which  lunch  was  to  be  served, 
when  perhaps  seventy-five  would  be  present,  includ- 
ing the  Governor,  other  officers,  and  friends,  with 
the  missionaries,  their  wives,  and  the  single  ladies. 
No  one  could  be  found,  after  my  illness,  to  undertake 
what  I  had  expected  to  do.  A  special  meeting  was 
called  by  the  mission  in  September.     I  had  gained 


JUBILEE  MEETING  159 

in  strength  a  good  deal,  and  hoped  to  gain  much 
more  before  December,  so,  not  being  able  to  go  to 
the  meeting,  I  sent  word  that  as  no  one  had  been 
found  to  take  my  place,  they  could  go  on  with  their 
plans,  as  I  trusted  I  should  be  well  enough  to  be 
present  and  do  my  part.  It  came  as  a  surprise  and 
relief  to  them,  and  many  kind  words  of  appreciation 
were  sent  me. 

The  Jubilee  was  celebrated  December  20-27,  1885, 
with  fitting  services,  addresses,  reminiscences,  and 
meetings,  some  by  ourselves,  and  others  also  with 
the  natives. 

On  the  day  of  the  visit  of  Sir  Charles  Mitchell, 
the  Governor  of  Natal,  all  assembled  in  front  of  the 
new  seminary  building,  which  had  cost  nearly  two 
thousand  nine  hundred  pounds,  when  His  Excellency 
turned  the  key  in  the  lock  of  the  door,  opened  it  wide 
and  declared  the  Jubilee  Hall  formally  opened. 

Then,  in  the  library  of  the  building,  there  was  a 
short  dedicatory  service  and  an  address  to  the  Gover- 
nor by  the  chairman  of  the  mission,  Rev.  D.  Rood,  to 
which  His  Excellency  replied  in  a  most  appreciative 
manner.  After  that  about  seventy  persons  repaired 
to  the  large,  airy,  and  beautifully  decorated  dining- 
room  (the  future  recitation  room),  a  native  choir 
singing  with  fine  efifect,  "  Awake  the  Jubilee."  The 
tables  were  served  by  Christian  young  men,  students 
from  the  school,  whose  aptitude  and  manners  won 
the  admiration  of  all  who  observed  them,  through  the 
whole  Jubilee  season.  The  choir  sang  a  number 
of  times  before  the  luncheon  was  over,  and  at  its 
close  gave  a  much  appreciated  concert. 


160       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

Many  practical  housewives  will  ask  how  we  could 
arrange  for  such  a  meeting,  a  part  of  the  people 
staying  all  the  time,  besides  having  the  lunch  for  so 
many. 

To  start  with,  there  was  a  large  new  building. 
Two  of  the  single  ladies  and  two  daughters  of  the 
mission  went  there,  with  me,  a  week  before  the  meet- 
ing, to  get  the  house  in  order,  with  natives  to  help. 
There  were  new  bedsteads,  mattresses,  and  blankets. 
Each  lady  of  the  mission,  when  she  came,  brought 
what  linen  and  silver  she  could.  The  two  or  three 
families  at  the  station  loaned  furniture  for  reception 
rooms,  etc.    We  hired  dishes  from  a  store  in  Durban. 

More  than  a  month  before  the  meeting,  I  wrote 
each  lady  asking  her  if  she  would  make  a  dessert 
for  a  certain  day  of  the  Jubilee  and  something,  that 
I  named,  for  the  lunch  on  reception  day.  I  asked  the 
daughters  of  the  missionaries,  headed  by  Miss  Tyler, 
now  the  wife  of  Rev.  James  Gray,  of  Grahamtown, 
South  Africa,  to  take  entire  charge  of  the  dining- 
room.  Other  ladies  were  asked  to  see  that  the  work 
was  done  in  the  halls,  reception  rooms,  and  bedrooms. 
Then  long  before  I  left  home,  I  made  out  a  tentative 
bill  of  fare  for  each  meal,  as  a  basis  to  plan  from, 
with  changes  as  necessary.  One  of  the  missionaries 
took  charge  of  getting  the  meat  and  bread  from 
Durban ;  most  of  the  vegetables,  milk,  eggs,  and 
fowls  we  could  get  at  the  station.  I  had  good  native 
helpers  for  all  departments.  The  night  before  the 
luncheon,  two  of  my  lady  helpers  and  I  did  not  get 
to  bed  until  after  midnight ;  but  we  had  lots  of  fun 
and  good  times  writing  the  place  cards,  arranging 


JUBILEE  MEETING  161 

"  who  should  go  in  with  whom,"  and  the  order  in 
which  each  person  should  sit  at  table. 

At  the  close  of  the  Jubilee  meeting,  it  seemed  to 
be  the  unanimous  feeling  of  those  present,  that  the 
ten  days  had  been  passed  very  pleasantly  and  profit- 
ably. It  did  not  make  me  ill,  I  enjoyed  it  all,  and 
was  very  thankful  to  be  able  to  do  what  I  could,  and 
felt  most  grateful  to  those  who  had  so  kindly  and 
lovingly  aided  me  in  making  it  possible. 

Not  having  visited  America  since  coming  to  South 
Africa,  in  1870,  I  decided,  in  1886,  to  ask  our  mission 
in  Natal  and  the  board  in  Boston,  to  allow  me  to  do 
so  that  year.  I  was  not  tired  of  the  work  and  felt 
reluctant  to  leave  it;  but  I  was  very  tired  in  it  and 
greatly  needed  a  change  and  rest. 

Mrs.  Abbie  Wilder  came  to  Umvoti,  to  aid  in 
looking  after  my  department  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Rood  also  decided,  the  following  year,  to  go  to 
America,  and  other  changes  were  then  made,  by  the 
mission,  for  that  station. 

I  went  to  Cape  Town,  and  joined  Miss  Bliss,  of 
the  Huguenot  Seminary  at  Wellington,  who  also  was 
going  to  America,  at  that  time.  Three  grown  chil- 
dren of  the  Rev.  Andrew  Murray  were  to  accompany 
us  to  England,  there  to  continue  their  education  for 
a  year.  As  we  were  starting  in  the  train  from  Well- 
ington, to  take  the  steamer  at  Cape  Town,  I  remember 
Mr.  Murray  came  and  sat  by  me,  as  he  said,  "  that 
we  might  have  a  little  visit."  My  stay  at  the  seminary 
had  given  small  chance  for  friends  to  call,  or  see  me, 
before  we  sailed.  At  this  writing  he  is  aged  and 
feeble.     For  the  many  who  have  known  Mr.  Mur- 


162       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

ray,  through  his  writings,  but  have  never  seen  him, 
I  would  like  to  say  here,  that  his  manner  was  genial, 
yet  dignified,  and  gentlemanly,  quickly  seeing  the 
fitness  of  things,  natural  and  easy  in  all  his  ways, 
noticing  and  doing  little  things  for  the  comfort  of 
others;  always  rising  if  a  lady  came  into  the  room, 
and  not  sitting  down  until  a  seat  was  found  for  her. 
He  never  talked  cant  or  intruded  his  words  upon 
others,  yet  I  do  not  think  one  could  ever  be  ten 
minutes  in  his  presence  without  the  feeling  that  God 
was  uppermost  in  his  thought.  Much  of  his  talk, 
during  the  forty  miles'  ride  into  Cape  Town,  was  of 
the  fulness  of  redemption  through  Jesus  Christ,  in 
this  life  as  well  as  for  the  life  to  come,  and  of  the 
rest  and  peace  one  may  have  here,  by  simply  and 
earnestly  trusting  in  that  salvation.  His  good-bye 
on  the  steamer  was  a  beautiful  prayer,  in  one  of  our 
cabins,  where  our  little  party  were  assembled. 

On  our  reaching  London  we  went  to  Keswick,  to 
attend  the  convention  which  is  held  there  each  year, 
as  Dr.  Murray  had  arranged  for  us  to  do.  Rev. 
Dr.  Cummings,  of  Scotland,  heard  of  my  being  there, 
and  looked  me  up,  because  of  what  his  son  had  told 
him  of  Umvoti.  The  son,  when  a  theological  stu- 
dent, went  as  travelling  companion  to  South  Africa 
with  the  venerable  Dr.  Somerville,  whose  visit  to  us 
I  have  before  mentioned.  Dr.  Cummings  was  a  dear 
old  Scotch  minister,  and  one  of  the  committee  at 
the  convention.  He  did  much  to  make  our  stay  pleas- 
ant at  Keswick.  One  morning  he  took  me  to  a 
minister's  breakfast.  It  was  indeed  a  privilege  to 
see  such  distinguished  people  and  hear  them  talk. 


JUBILEE  MEETING  163 

This  I  also  felt  very  often  in  the  meetings  of  the 
convention.  Only  the  most  noted  Christian  leaders 
speak  from  that  platform ;  the  very  cream  of  Eng- 
land's religious  v^orld  is  said  to  attend  those  conven- 
tions. I  can  never  feel  thankful  enough  for  the 
opportunity  of  attending  one  of  those  wonderful 
gatherings,  which  are  now  so  well-known  throughout 
the  Christian  world.  I  also  greatly  appreciated  see- 
ing the  beautiful  Lake  country,  in  that  part  of 
England. 

From  Keswick  our  party  visited  France  and  Switz- 
erland. Through  the  kindness  of  Dr.  Murray, 
writing  to  his  friends  in  the  latter  country,  I  was 
invited,  with  a  part  of  our  party,  to  the  private  home 
of  a  dear  elderly  lady  and  her  two  daughters,  who 
belonged  to  one  of  the  old,  noble  families  of  Switzer- 
land. The  pleasure  of  being  in  such  a  home  was 
greatly  enjoyed.  One  could  understand  the  people 
and  country  so  much  better  than  if  only  staying  at 
hotels.  With  the  advice  of  those  friends,  a  plan  for 
our  trip  was  made  out  which  was  a  great  advantage 
and  help  to  us. 

From  Switzerland,  Miss  Bliss  and  I  went  on 
through  Germany  into  Holland.  In  Amsterdam,  we 
spent  a  delightful  week  with  a  friend  of  Miss  Bliss, 
who  had  taught  at  the  Huguenot  Seminary,  in  South 
Africa.  We  reached  America  in  September.  A  niece 
from  Long  Island  met  me  in  New  York.  After 
spending  a  few  days  with  her  and  in  Boston,  I  went 
to  my  old  home  near  where  my  father  was  born,  at 
Corbettsville,  N.  Y.,  although  we  were  just  over  the 
border    in   Susquehanna    County,    Penn.      My    only 


164       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

brother,  and  my  sister  Frances,  were  living  there. 
My  father  and  mother  had  both  died  while  I  was 
away,  and  two  sisters,  younger  than  myself,  had  mar- 
ried. Children  had  grown  into  man  and  womanhood 
and  many  friends  had  died.  The  changes  were 
great,  and  some  of  them  very  sad  to  me.  Tired  and 
nerve-racked,  it  was  difficult  to  throw  ofif  the  de- 
pression and  loneliness  that  I  felt,  which  wore  upon 
me  until  I  could  no  longer  keep  up,  and  finally  broke 
down  completely. 

I  went  to  Clifton  Springs,  and  was  there  for  five 
months.  That  wonderful  place,  where  Christian 
kindness  and  tender  care  do  so  much,  not  only  for 
tired  and  ill  missionaries,  but  for  ministers  and  many 
others.  I  cannot  speak  too  gratefully  of  what  that 
institution  did  for  me  then,  as  well  as  in  later  years. 
I  feel  sure  that  no  single  influence,  or  organization 
in  America,  has  done  so  much  for  foreign  missions, 
as  that  sanitarium  has,  by  Christian  influence,  medi- 
cal treatment  and  care  for  missionaries,  who,  while 
in  this  country,  need  just  what  they  get  there. 

After  regaining  some  degree  of  health,  I  left  Clif- 
ton, and  as  soon  as  I  was  able,  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  to  speak.  The  need  of  that  great  land 
of  Africa,  including  the  special  need  of  our  own  mis- 
sion, for  reinforcements,  was  so  great.  I  spoke  from 
Boston  to  Chicago,  in  many  churches  and  meetings. 


XV 
RETURN   TO   NATAL  AND   CHANGES 

BEFORE  leaving  America  to  return  to  South 
Africa,  the  Board  in  Boston  had  allowed  me 
to  look  for  some  young  lady,  who,  I  thought, 
might  be  suitable  for  work  like  mine,  to  go  with  me. 

I  was  fortunate  in  finding,  at  Oberlin  College,  Miss 
Mary  McCornack,  who  seemed  to  be  just  the  one 
that  I  needed.  After  due  consideration,  she  con- 
sented to  go,  was  appointed  by  the  board,  and  ac- 
companied me  when  I  returned.  For  many  years 
she  has  proved  herself  a  most  useful  and  efficient 
missionary  in  that  land. 

My  sister  Frances  and  a  niece  were  with  us  in 
New  York,  as,  at  6 130  A.  M.,  we  went  on  board  the 
Aurania,  Miss  McCornack,  Miss  Pixley,  and  myself. 
Through  the  mist  in  my  eyes,  as  well  as  in  the  air, 
I  watched  friends  on  the  wharf,  as  our  ship  glided 
past  Bedloe's  Island  and  out  of  the  harbour. 

Prof.   B and  a  young  student  from  Oberlin 

were  on  board.  Miss  McCornack  knew  them,  and 
they  at  once  became  a  part  of  our  party,  a  very 
pleasant  part,  too.  Their  society  and  kindness 
added  much  to  the  pleasure  and  comfort  of  our 
voyage. 

We  reached  Oueenstown  Saturday,  and  Liver- 
pool the  next  morning.     Although  it  was  Sunday, 

165 


166       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

we  had  to  go  through  the  custom-house.  When  that 
disagreeable  task  was  over,  a  train  was  waiting  to 
take  us  to  London.  It  seemed  best  to  go  on,  so  we 
came  from  there,  that  afternoon,  a  ride  of  four  and 
a  half  hours,  reaching  the  city  in  time  to  go  to 
church.  The  country  was  very  beautiful  at  that 
season  of  the  year,  and  the  twilights  long.  One  could 
plainly  distinguish  a  person  across  the  street,  at  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening. 

The  following  day  we  went  to  Westminster  Abbey. 

Through  the  influence  of  Prof.  B ,  we  saw  the 

Jerusalem  Chamber,  where  the  committee  met  when 
translating  the  King  James  version  of  the  English 
Bible.  The  table  which  was  then  used  is  still  there, 
and  was  also  used  for  the  last  revision.  The  bishops 
of  the  Church  of  England  meet  here  once  or  twice 
a  year,  when  the  important  business  of  the  church 
is  done.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  historical  interest 
connected  with  this  room,  which  I  had  not  before 
seen,  although  I  had  previously  visited  the  Abbey 
a  number  of  times,  when  in  London.  There  were 
two  tables,  the  small  one  given  by  Queen  Elizabeth. 
Henry  Fourth  died  in  front  of  the  fire-place.  All 
the  crown  jewels,  with  the  crown,  are  put  in  this 
room,  the  night  before  a  king  or  queen  is  crowned. 

We  attended  a  full  choral  service  in  the  Abbey; 
at  3  P.  M.  the  Dean  of  Westminster  preached,  it 
being  Whit-Sunday.  The  music  was  very  fine.  I 
again  saw  the  chair  in  which  the  kings  and  queens 
are  crowned.  Just  under  the  seat,  framed  in,  is  that 
famous  stone  which  looks  like  a  common,  large  sand- 
stone. 


MRS.    MARY    M  CORMICK     THOMPSON 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  167 

After  a  few  very  enjoyable  days  in  London,  Prof. 

B and  his  companion  left  for  the  Continent,  and 

we  took  the  Grantully  Castle  at  Dartmouth,  for 
South  Africa.  By  rail,  for  some  miles  on  the  way 
down,  the  scenery  was  very  fine.  We  passed  through 
Torquay,  that  noted  English  watering  place,  and  saw 
some  of  the  pleasant  parts  of  it,  also  some  fine 
estates  not  far  from  there. 

When  we  reached  the  ship  we  found  everything 
nicely  settled  in  our  cabins,  as  our  luggage  had  been 
put  on  board  at  London.  Outside  rooms,  with  good 
portholes,  were  given  us. 

We  stopped  at  Lisbon,  and  spent  a  day  there. 
Mrs.  Fessenden  (a  friend  from  Chicago,  who  joined 
us  in  London  and  went  to  Natal  to  spend  a  year 
with  her  English  sister,  whose  home  was  there),  and 
I,  went  on  shore.  We  heard  scarcely  a  word  of  Eng- 
lish spoken ;  visited  the  market,  that  covers  about 
an  acre  of  land,  heard  the  noted  chiming  bells,  and 
visited  a  large,  old  church,  then  drove  all  through 
the  wonderful,  ancient  fortifications,  in  and  out,  in 
and  out,  smelled  the  dreadful  smells  of  the  open 
ditches  and  the  badly-kept  streets.  We  also  went  to 
the  Zoological  Gardens  and  the  King's  Palace,  see- 
ing many  interesting  things. 

A  great  many  of  the  women  we  met  wore  hand- 
kerchiefs on  their  heads,  and  their  complexion  was 
very  dark.  The  cobble-stone  pavements  were  tire- 
some to  drive  over,  and  we  were  glad  to  get  back  to 
the  ship.  We  called  at  beautiful  Madeira  Island. 
The  people  from  the  shore  swarmed  about  us,  with 


168       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

their  delicious  fruit  and  the  many  pretty  things  they 
had  to  sell.  It  was  very  interesting  to  watch  the 
boys  dive.  They  would  jump  from  the  ship  for  a 
coin,  thrown  into  the  sea,  and  come  up  with  it  in  their 
mouth.  Sometimes  they  would  dive  under  the  ship 
and  catch  a  coin  thrown  on  the  other  side. 

I  was  sorry  not  to  call  at  St.  Helena,  as  the  first 
time  I  went  out  I  greatly  enjoyed  a  visit  there.  How 
well  I  remember  as  we  were  taken  from  our  ship  to 
the  shore,  in  a  small  boat,  that  we  stepped  from  it 
onto  the  old  stone  steps  over  which  Napoleon  went, 
with  the  great,  gloomy,  mountain-like  rocks,  looming 
up  near  and  about  him.  The  whole  place  now,  I  am 
told,  has  an  added  desolate  appearance,  as  the  many 
ships  that  used  to  call  there  for  supplies,  go  by  way 
of  the  Suez  Canal. 

We  called  at  Teneriffe,  but  it  was  in  the  night. 
Just  at  daybreak  we  had  a  fading  glimpse  of  the 
wonderful  Tenerifife  mountain  peak,  over  12,000  feet 
high.  At  that  island  some  very  large  turtles  were 
taken  on  board,  weighing  from  two  to  three  hundred 
pounds  each.  Turned  on  their  backs  near  an  air- 
hole, they  were  a  sight  to  see.  Turtle  steak  is  dark, 
but  very  good.  I  did  not  care  for  the  soup,  it  having 
too  strong  a  flavour.  I  remember  once,  at  sea,  seeing 
a  very  large  turtle  sailing  along  with  a  bird  on  its 
back. 

The  weather  in  the  tropics  was  extremely  trying. 
Sometimes  there  was  a  dead  calm,  the  sea  being 
smooth  as  glass.  Most  of  the  ladies,  and  all  the 
children,  were  sick,  the  heat  was  so  terrible.  Some 
fine   musicians   were  on   board  and  gave   concerts. 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  169 

South  Africa  is  quite  a  resort  for  such  people.  A 
service  was  held  every  Sunday.  A  number  of 
the  passengers  were  Jews,  going  to  the  diamond 
fields. 

For  two  days  before  reaching  Cape  Town,  we  had 
dreadful  weather.  No  one  could  sleep  on  the  ship. 
It  rolled  fearfully.  On  reaching  there,  we  lay  at 
anchor,  and  could  not  land  until  the  next  morning, 
when  we  came  into  dock. 

Miss  Campbell,  an  old  friend  from  America,  who 
taught  at  the  Huguenot  Seminary,  came  to  meet  us 
and  took  me  home  with  her.  Another  lady  took  the 
rest  of  our  party.  We  remained  for  two  days,  then 
went  on  the  same  ship  to  Natal.  All  the  way  up  the 
coast,  we  had  bad  weather.  The  ship  rolled  so  it 
sometimes  seemed  as  if  it  must  tip  over.  I  never  saw 
higher  waves.  I  think  there  are  few  places  where 
waves  are  higher  than,  at  times,  on  that  coast. 

We  called  at  Mossil  Bay,  taking  off  cargo,  in- 
cluding rum,  which,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  was  sent 
from  America.  The  young  ladies  went  on  shore 
to  visit  an  ostrich  farm,  but  as  I  had  seen  a  number 
of  them,  I  preferred  to  stay  on  the  ship  and  rest. 

We  made  quite  a  stop  at  Port  Elizabeth,  which 
is  an  important  port  and  town.  It  had  then  about 
30,000  white  inhabitants. 

At  last,  after  a  week  of  tossing  about,  we  came 
into  less  troubled  waters,  and  in  sight  of  the  lovely 
hills  of  Natal.  We  ran  close  along  the  shore  for 
many  miles,  and  anchored  in  the  afternoon  outside 
the  bay.  The  ball  was  up  on  the  lighthouse ;  this 
meant  that  no  boat  could  come  out  to  us,  over  the 


170       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

bar,  until  the  sea  was  more  calm.  There  we  lay  for 
twenty-four  hours,  with  a  heavy  swell,  which  makes 
one  very  seasick.  The  next  day  the  tug  came  out 
with  oneiof  the  missionaries  on  board,  who  took  us 
in  charge,  baggage  and  all.  When  we  came  to  the 
bar,  the  waves  were  kind,  lifting  us  gently  over, 
away  from  the  seasickness,  the  musty  smells,  the 
gold  and  diamond  seekers,  and  some  very  pleasant 
friends,  into  beautiful  Port  Natal.  Bad  as  this  land- 
ing was,  I  once  before  had  a  worse  one,  when  taken 
from  the  ship  in  what  might  be  called  a  good-sized 
covered  clothes  basket,  with  a  small  door  in  the  side. 
It  swung  up  and  out  many  feet  into  the  air,  and  over 
the  water,  before  landing  me  on  the  tug.  Only  one 
could  be  taken  each  time.  Now  a  very  fine  break- 
water has  been  built,  and  large  ships  are  able  to  go 
over  the  bar  and  into  one  of  the  safest  and  most 
picturesque  of  harbours.  A  noted  traveller  said  it 
was  the  most  beautiful  that  he  had  ever  seen. 

We  found,  on  reaching  Natal,  that  not  only  had 
three  of  the  older  gentlemen  of  the  mission  died, 
but  two  or  three  others  were  very  much  out  of  health, 
and,  as  I  had  known  before,  reinforcements  were 
greatly  needed.  While  in  America,  I  had  made  every 
effort  I  could  to  get  new  recruits.  There  was  some 
delay  in  their  going  out,  yet  I  am  thankful  to  say 
two  gentlemen  and  their  wives  did  go  in  response 
to  that  appeal. 

To  our  astonishment,  soon  after  we  landed,  my 
associate  and  I  began  to  hear  talk  of  our  being  asked 
to  take  charge  of  a  station  forty  miles  by  wagon  and 
twenty  or  more  by  bridle  path,  from  Umvoti,  my 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  171 

old  station,  and  a  longer  distance,  at  that  time,  from 
any  other  missionary  of  our  board.    It  was  Esidum- 
bini,  one  of  the  older  stations  in  the  mission.     For 
twenty  years  no  white  missionary  had  been  located 
there.     It  was  run  down,  and  had  been  badly  de- 
moralized by  the  influence  of  an  unworthy  native 
helper.    The  place  was  much  higher,  and  in  a  more 
healthy  locality  than  Umvoti,  situated,  as  it  is,  in  a 
broad,  beautiful  valley  of  the  highlands,  and  thickly 
populated  by  parts  of  four  tribes.    There  are  between 
five  and   six  thousand  acres  of  land,  also  a  glebe 
of  five  hundred  acres,  in  this  mission  reserve,  where 
were  living  over  two  thousand  Zulu  people ;  besides, 
in  every  direction  adjoining,  were  thousands  of  the 
natives. 

The  mission-house,  the  church,  and  school-house, 
are  all  built  on  the  glebe.  At  a  distance  of  seven 
miles,  in  two  directions  from  the  station,  there  was 
an  English  family.  One  had  a  store  for  natives; 
the  other  a  large  stock  farm,  and  a  small  store  of  the 
same  kind  as  the  other.  The  post  office  was  at  one 
of  those  places,  and  the  nearest  physician,  twenty- 
five  miles  away. 

I  felt  that  I  could  not  give  up  my  work  at  Umvoti 
to  go  to  that  place,  which  would,  I  knew,  be  a  hard 
field,  even  for  a  man  and  his  wife.  Besides,  there 
was  a  station  fifteen  miles  beyond,  by  wagon,  with 
school  and  church,  that  would  need  to  be  looked 
after  from  Esidumbini,  as  well  as  an  out-station, 
between  those  two  places.  My  heart  rebelled  against 
this  arrangement.     It  did  not  seem  right  that  we 


172       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

should  be  asked  to  go  there,  nor  could  I  feel  it  was 
what  God  would  like  us  to  do. 

A  meeting  of  the  mission  was  called,  when  the 
matter  was  discussed  and  strongly  urged  by  two  or 
three.  Not  any  of  the  unmarried  ladies  favoured  this 
change. 

There  is  a  rule  of  the  board,  that  all  missionaries 
shall  be  governed  and  appointed  to  stations,  by  a 
majority  vote  of  the  mission.  However,  it  is  not 
often  unreasonably  pressed  contrary  to  the  wish  of 
a  member.  The  mission  in  this  case,  delayed  to  vote 
and  refused  to  do  so,  unless  my  associate  and  I  voted. 
A  day  or  two  passed ;  from  time  to  time  other  busi- 
ness was  taken  up.  My  almost  constant  prayer  had 
been,  "  Oh,  Lord,  carry  us  not  up  hence  if  Thy 
presence  go  not  with  us.  Make  us  willing  to  see 
as  Thou  seest."  The  third  day  wore  on ;  the  sun 
was  setting;  a  vote  on  this  subject  had  not  yet  been 
taken.  Finally  I  said :  "  We  can  take  no  responsi- 
bility of  our  being  sent  to  Esidumbini.  That  is 
yours.  Should  we  go  there,  whatever  mistakes  or 
failures  are  made  by  us,  remember  you  are  respon- 
sible for  putting  such  a  field  in  our  care.  We  trust 
that  God  will  help  us  wherever  we  are  sent,  and, 
considering  all  the  circumstances,  have  decided  to 
vote  with  the  majority  of  the  mission."  I  remember 
one  gentleman  would  not  stay  in  while  the  vote  was 
taken. 

So  we  were  sent  to  Esidumbini !  My  associate 
was  without  the  Zulu  language,  or  much  knowledge 
of  the  work,  but  she  made  rapid  progress  in  both. 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  173 

and  within  a  year  or  two,  was  getting  on  finely  and 
becoming  a  great  comfort  and  blessing  to  us  all. 

It  was  promised  that  some  gentlemen  of  the  mis- 
sion should  come  every  few  months  to  help  us.  Also, 
that  as  soon  as  reinforcements  came  from  America, 
a  man  and  his  wife  should  be  stationed  there.  The 
needs  were  so  great  in  other  parts  of  the  field,  it  was 
often  months  before  any  one  could  come  to  help,  and 
there  was  no  missionary  and  his  wife  sent  to  live  at 
that  station  as  long  as  I  remained  in  Natal. 

The  mission-house  at  Esidumbini  needed  repairing. 
In  the  meantime,  we  were  sent  to  Umsunduze  sta- 
tion, to  look  after  things  there  until  our  house  was 
ready  for  us.  A  native  preacher  had  been  sent  to 
that  station  a  short  time  before.  He  and  the  church 
were  not  getting  along  well  together,  and  needed  a 
missionary's  help.  It  was  a  bad  and  trying  state  of 
affairs.  The  preacher  was  not  fit  for  the  place,  and 
eventually  had  to  be  dismissed  by  the  mission. 

We  were  a  number  of  miles  from  any  white  family. 
After  a  few  weeks  one  of  the  missionaries  came  to 
help  us  for  two  or  three  days,  and,  as  he  also  had 
to  go  to  Esidumbini,  proposed  that  we  go  with  him, 
to  see  the  place  and  how  the  house  was  getting  on. 
We  were  pleased  to  do  so.  It  is  a  long  journey 
round  by  the  wagon  road,  but  across  country,  over 
a  hilly,  rough,  unworked  track,  it  is  not  more  than 
fifteen  or  twenty  miles.  We  decided  to  go  the  short 
way.  As  yet  we  had  no  horses  and  my  wagonette 
had  not  arrived ;  the  only  one  we  could  get  was  old, 
and  drawn  by  ten  oxen.  Taking  what  food  we  re- 
quired for  three  or  four  days,  we  started  early  one 


174       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

pleasant  morning,  three  of  us,  besides  a  native  driver 
and  leader.  About  two  miles  from  the  station  we 
came  to  a  hill  which  we  had  to  go  down ;  it  was  at 
least  two  hundred  feet  high,  and  so  steep  all  the 
oxen  but  two  were  taken  off,  and  the  wheels  chained. 
Four  or  five  men  from  the  station  came  along  and 
helped  get  the  wagon  down  the  hill,  by  ropes  tied  to 
it,  which  they  held  on  to,  after  winding  them  once 
around  a  tree.  It  took  more  than  half  an  hour,  but 
all  came  down  safely.  We  got  in  and  rode  for  a 
mile  or  two,  when  we  came  to  a  kind  of  mud  hole, 
in  a  swampy  place  we  could  not  walk  across.  Down 
we  came  from  a  steep  bank,  everything  pitching  for- 
ward, then  up  the  opposite  bank,  when  everything 
shoved  back,  and  we  had  to  hold  on  to  them,  lest 
they  fall  out. 

We  went  through  places  where  thorns  and  bram- 
bles caught  the  wagon,  making  the  old  top  look  older 
than  before;  then  up  a  long,  rocky  hill,  which  had 
been  dug  a  little.  The  ground  was  red,  there  were 
no  trees,  while  the  bank  off  the  side  was  so  steep 
one  did  not  like  to  look  to  the  bottom.  In  Mr. 
Grout's  book  on  South  Africa,  there  is  the  picture 
of  a  wagon  and  oxen  travelling  over  this  hill.  Once, 
when  he  was  riding  on  horseback  down  that  same 
hill,  he  was  chased  by  a  large,  dreadful  hoop  snake, 
from  which  he  barely  escaped.  As  we  reached  the 
top  of  the  last-mentioned  hill,  we  were  on  a  beautiful 
highland,  which  was  nearly  level.  We  could  see  far, 
far  away,  for  many  miles.  Nearly  two  hours  we 
travelled  on  this  highland,  then  outspanned  for  din- 
ner and  rest,  ourselves  and  the  oxen  needing  both. 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  175 

Resuming  our  journey,  we  went  up  another  long 
hill,  when  we  came  to  scenery  very  unlike  anything 
that  I  ever  saw  in  America.  For  miles  we  went  on 
ridges  of  hills ;  sometimes  there  was  little  more  than 
room  enough  for  a  wagon,  the  hills  sloping  off  each 
way,  down,  down,  so  far  that  the  cattle  and  goats 
looked  almost  like  toys,  in  the  valleys  below.  It 
seemed  as  if  God  just  left  those  ridges  for  the  road. 
We  came  safely  through,  and  soon  into  a  good  gov- 
ernment road.  Going  on  a  few  miles,  we  reached 
Esidumbini,  before  sundown.  A  little  furniture  had 
always  been  kept  in  the  mission-house,  and  with 
what  we  brought  in  the  wagon,  there  was  enough 
to  make  us  comfortable  for  our  short  visit.  It  was 
nearly  two  months  before  the  house  was  ready  to 
really  live  in. 

We  enjoyed  our  visit.  After  our  return  to  Um- 
sumduze  many  of  the  people  from  Umvoti  came 
to  see  us,  and  we  went  there  for  a  short  visit.  A 
kind  friend,  the  industrial  teacher  at  Amanzimtote, 
was  sent  by  the  mission  to  repair  the  house  at 
Esidumbini.  When  we  went  there  he  remained  and 
helped  us  get  settled.  The  Mt.  Vernon  church  in 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  assumed  my  support  all  the 
time  I  was  in  Africa.  I  can  never  forget  or  cease 
to  feel  grateful  for  the  very  direct  personal  interest 
shown  to  me  and  to  my  work  by  a  number  of  the 
people  of  that  church.  Their  letters,  their  prayers, 
their  close  friendship,  their  hearty  welcome  when 
I  came  home,  the  pleasant,  restful  visits  I  had  with 
them  in  their  homes,  enjoying  the  services  at  their 
churches,    the    symphony    concerts    and    the    many 


176       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

things  there  are  in  that  city  to  enjoy,  all  helped  to 
build  me  up  physically  and  spiritually  for  future 
mission  work.  When  I  left  to  return  to  Natal,  they 
gave  me  for  my  use,  and  insisted  that  I  should  take 
with  me  more  comfortable  furniture  than  I  had 
when  away  before.  This  reached  Esidumbini  by 
the  time  the  house  was  in  readiness  for  it.  The 
first  evening  after  it  was  in  order,  we  had  a  little 
dedicatory  service  in  the  parlour.  It  seemed  home- 
like, and  we  began  to  feel  we  were  not  going  to  be 
depressed  and  lonely,  for  God  would  be  with  us. 
It  may  appear  strange,  but  I  do  not  remember  that 
we  were  often  lonely.  We  had  too  much  to  do.  We 
made  the  home  as  pretty  and  comfortable  as  we 
could.  The  grounds,  also,  in  a  few  months,  were 
clean,  with  nicely  weeded  lawns,  carefully  pruned, 
shady  orange  trees,  and  a  flower  garden  with  roses 
and  some  other  flowers,  every  month  in  the  year. 
I  enjoyed  working  there  early  in  the  morning. 

The  people  received  us  gladly,  and  seemed  very 
thankful  to  have  a  white  missionary  with  them  again, 
although  we  were  only  women.  That  I  knew  about 
their  ways,  language,  and  affairs,  was  a  great  satis- 
faction to  them.  I  had  been  there  a  number  of  times 
before,  and  knew  many  of  them  quite  well.  The 
field  was  truly  very  needy  and  interesting.  Within 
a  few  weeks  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pixley,  of  our  mission, 
came  and  spent  ten  days  or  more  with  us.  In  meet- 
ings with  the  people,  we  carefully  went  over  the 
names  of  every  church  member,  asking  a  report  from 
each.  Sad  to  say,  we  found  that  nearly  every  one 
had  slipped  away,  more  or  less,  from  the  right  path, 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  177 

and  the  church  was  really  in  a  very  unsatisfactory 
condition,  having  been  too  long  like  "  sheep  without 
a  shepherd."  A  number  confessed  their  sins  and 
were  very  penitent,  but  it  was  some  time  before  it 
seemed  best  to  have  the  communion  service  there. 

The  school,  too,  was  greatly  run  down,  and  the 
out-stations  nearby  had  been  for  some  time  closed. 
A  friend  of  the  mission,  Rev.  Fernie,  the  pastor  of 
a  Congregational  Church,  for  English  people,  near 
Durban,  was  pleased  to  visit  us,  after  a  few  weeks, 
and  hold  services  for  the  people,  speaking  through 
an  interpreter. 

A  Christian  young  man,  a  Zulu  from  Umvoti, 
whom  I  had  brought  up  and  educated,  came,  with 
his  wife  and  child,  to  live  in  a  little  house  near  ours, 
and  teach  in  the  day  school.  He  also  assisted  about 
the  meetings  on  Sunday,  and  was  a  great  help  in 
the  work.  He  has  since  then  studied  in  the  theo- 
logical school  at  Amanizintote,  been  ordained  and 
installed  as  pastor  over  a  native  church  in  Johannes- 
burg. When  at  Esidumbini,  he  understood  English, 
and  was  a  very  good  interpreter.  He  interpreted  for 
Mr.  Fernie,  and  others,  who  could  not  speak  Zulu, 
but  when  visiting  us  they  were  glad  to  assist  in 
the  work  by  taking  services. 

It  was  a  great  encouragement  to  us  as  well  as  to 
the  people,  to  have  Mr.  Fernie's  help.  He  and  his 
wife  were  old  friends  of  mine,  who  had  come  out  to 
Natal  about  the  time  I  first  reached  there.  He  was 
finely  educated,  spiritually  minded,  and  much  inter- 
ested in  mission  work,  knowing  how  to  adapt  his 
thoughts  to  the  Zulu  mind,  although  unable  to  speak 


178       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

their  language.  He  enjoyed  the  work  and  the  change 
of  being  on  the  station. 

There  was  a  sunrise  and  an  afternoon  meeting, 
and  many  came  to  each  from  long  distances.  In  the 
afternoon  we  had  the  meetings  under  the  shady 
orange  trees,  with  the  people  sitting  on  the  grass. 
Usually  there  were  no  meetings  in  the  evening  at  our 
stations. 

From  the  first,  the  Spirit  of  God  seemed  to  be 
with  us.  Many  who  could  read  and  who  had  pro- 
fessed Christianity  but  had  fallen  away,  confessed 
their  sins  and  expressed  an  earnest  desire  to  make 
a  new  start,  while  numbers  of  the  heathen,  also,  ex- 
pressed their  determination  to  become  Christians. 
From  that  time,  God  very  plainly  blessed  His  truth 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  at  the  station,  and  about 
us.  This  revival  continued  from  year  to  year,  in 
greater  or  less  pronounced  ways. 

At  each  of  our  stations  it  is  thought  best,  as  I 
have  before  said,  for  all  who  join  the  church  to  be 
well  instructed,  first  in  Bible  truths,  and,  if  possible, 
learn  to  read  the  Testament.  Also  have  time  to  prove 
their  fitness  for  membership  and  willingness  to  help 
others  to  hear  the  truth.  As  far  as  I  could,  I  always 
taught  these  classes.  It  took  at  least  a  week,  with 
meetings  every  day,  to  get  ready  for  the  communion. 
There  was  a  roll  call,  when  each  member  was  sup- 
posed to  report  how  he  had  been  living,  and  what 
he  had  tried  to  do  for  the  Master.  Then,  as  time 
went  on,  there  were  many  to  be  examined  for  church 
membership,  only  a  part  of  whom  would  be  consid- 
ered eligible. 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  179 

There  were  children's  meetings,  prayer,  and  other 
services,  school  to  look  after,  sick  people  who  came 
for  medicine,  people  who  came  to  talk,  and  others 
to  have  disputes  settled. 

Many  of  the  four  tribes  on  the  reserve  were 
heathen.  They  were  frequently  getting  into  quar- 
rels with  each  other  about  land  that  they  wished  to 
cultivate,  as  well  as  about  other  things.  Many  such 
disputes  were  brought  to  me,  often  by  a  chief  and  a 
number  of  his  men,  who,  each  in  turn,  would  go  into 
the  details  of  the  circumstances.  One  had  to  listen 
carefully,  sometimes  for  two  or  three  hours,  to  get 
at  the  facts  so  as  to  decide  what  would  be  best ;  all 
of  which  was  very  fatiguing,  particularly  if  the  day 
was  hot.  I  remember  a  trying  and  long-drawn  out 
quarrel  that  was  caused  simply  by  a  man  of  one 
tribe  burning  some  rubbish  from  his  garden,  when 
the  fire  ran  through  the  dry  grass  over  the  graves 
that  belonged  to  another  tribe.  Superstition  made 
that  a  great  affair. 

One  day  a  man  came,  very  excited,  to  tell  me  that 
his  neighbour  was  ploughing  over  the  line  on  his  land. 
I  called  the  other  man.  He  said,  "  The  oxen,  in 
turning,  made  the  plough  just  slip  a  little  to  the  other 
side."  I  got  on  my  horse  and  went  to  see.  Both 
men  were  greatly  excited.  I  found  the  "  slip  "  was 
about  an  acre  of  land,  which  he  had  ploughed,  that 
did  not  belong  to  him.  Other  quarrels,  smaller  and 
larger,  frequently  took  my  time  and  strength ;  but 
in  trying  to  assist  them,  it  all  helped  us  to  gain  an 
influence  over  them,  to  learn  a  better  way  than  that 
which  they  had  before  known.    They  would  get  very 


180       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

excited  sometimes,  but  generally  cool  down  if  I 
suggested  that  they  take  their  case  to  the  English 
magistrate,  twenty  miles  away,  where  all  really  im- 
portant cases  were  tried,  and  where  I  insisted  they 
should  go,  if  I  could  not  get  them  to  compromise 
and  stop  their  contention. 

Marriages,  baptisms,  communion,  and  some  land 
disputes,  were  always  held  back  until  a  missionary 
could  come.  Those  expected  visits,  when  delayed, 
as  they  were  a  few  times,  without  our  getting  a 
message,  were  sometimes  very  trying,  particularly 
for  the  communion,  after  weary  days  of  meetings 
with  the  people,  some  from  a  distance,  assembled  for 
the  preparatory  lecture  and  communion,  with  no  or- 
dained missionary  to  do  the  part  that  we  could  not  do. 

I  remember  a  party  once  coming  forty  miles  to  be 
married.  There  was  no  ordained  missionary  there. 
But  the  Rev.  Fernie,  from  Durban,  happened  to  come 
to  spend  the  night,  and  then  go  on  next  day  to  attend 
the  dedication  of  a  church.  He  was  very  tired,  had 
ridden  fifty  miles,  and,  not  understanding  Zulu,  I 
knew  he  would  not  like  to  marry  them,  as  there  was 
no  interpreter.  However,  when  a  little  rested,  and 
at  supper,  I  told  him  the  circumstances.  At  first 
he  was  sure  he  could  not  do  it,  but  finally  was  in- 
duced to,  if  I  would  read  the  Scripture  lesson  and 
interpret  the  prayer.  "  But,"  I  said,  "  you  must 
ask,  '  Do  you  take,'  etc.,  and  then  you  must  pronounce 
them  man  and  wife !  "  Many  times  I  went  over  those 
few  sentences  with  him  in  Zulu  and  wrote  them  out. 
Then  the  bride  and  groom  came  in  neatly  dressed ; 
she  in  white  stockings,  as  her  feet  were  so  swollen 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  181 

from  walking  she  could  not  get  on  her  shoes.  (I 
think  Mr.  Femie  did  not  notice  that.)  I  got  on  with 
my  part ;  had  to  put  the  bride's  hand  into  that  of  the 
bridegroom.  They  could  not  understand  a  word  of 
what  Mr.  Fernie  tried  to  say  in  Zulu,  so  it  was  neces- 
sary for  me  to  go  over  all  and  at  last  pronounce 
them  man  and  wife !  It  was  hard  to  keep  down  the 
risibles.    I  cannot  think  of  it  now  without  a  smile. 

I  quote  from  a  letter  to  a  friend :  "  Last  Sunday 
we  had  over  four  hundred  at  the  services.  We  have 
a  day  school  of  seventy  children,  which  is  growing 
larger  each  week.  Every  Sunday  now  we  are  obliged 
to  have  overflow  meetings  in  the  school-house.  There 
is  no  native  pastor.  Two  Christian  men  help  about 
the  preaching  on  Sunday. 

"  Sunday  morning  we  have  a  sunrise  prayer  meet- 
ing; at  eleven  o'clock  a  Sunday  School,  that  nearly 
fills  the  church ;  at  twelve  is  the  regular  preaching 
service.  After  that  we  go  to  the  house  for  a  rest 
of  twenty  minutes  and  a  little  lunch,  with  a  cup  of 
tea.  Then  I  have  a  Bible  class  for  men  and  women, 
all  who  wish  to  stay.  This  is  a  very  interesting  part 
of  my  work.  We  have  the  same  lesson  the  following 
Sabbath,  in  Sunday  School,  so  the  Bible  class  is  a 
kind  of  teacher's  class.  We  are  obliged  to  have  the 
services  near  together  in  this  way,  as  many  of  the 
people  come  long  distances.  They  are  not  accus- 
tomed to  have  a  meal  in  the  middle  of  the  day.  Their 
greatest  meal  is  in  the  evening. 

"  On  Tuesday  afternoons  I  have  an  inquirers' 
meeting.  Wednesday  afternoons  we  have  a  women's 
prayer  meeting.     Last  week  I  talked  to  them  about 


182       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

the  gifts  of  God  and  what  He  had  done  for  them, 
urging  them  to  do  more  for  Him,  and  make  an 
effort  to  help  raise  money  to  support  a  native  pastor. 
Saturday  afternoons  I  have  a  class  for  those  who 
help  about  the  preaching.  Miss  McCornack  has  a 
class  in  Sunday  School,  looks  after  the  station-school, 
and  takes  some  classes  in  it.  Just  now  we  both  teach 
all  the  forenoon,  and  have  a  good  helper  in  our  native 
schoolmaster. 

"  Our  house  is  small,  but  comfortable.  It  is  one- 
story  high,  the  roof  of  corrugated  iron.  There  is  a 
veranda  in  front  and  on  part  of  one  side.  We  have 
three  rooms  in  front,  parlour,  dining-room,  and  bed- 
room, and  two  side  bedrooms,  and  the  kitchen, 
pantry,  and  girls'  room,  back  of  the  other  rooms. 
The  dining-room  is  the  room  of  the  house.  In  it 
we  eat,  have  sewing  classes,  evening  schools,  morn- 
ing and  evening  prayers,  with  those  who  are  in  our 
family.  Here  also,  and  on  the  veranda,  if  the  weather 
is  not  too  hot,  we  see  Christian  and  heathen  people, 
have  inquirers'  classes  for  women,  see  those  who 
come  for  medicine,  and  those  who  come  to  get  their 
disputes  settled.  Once  a  large,  puff  adder,  a  very 
poisonous  snake,  came  in  and  got  to  sleep  under  a 
chair,  where  I  sat,  as  we  had  family  prayers  that 
morning.  After  prayers,  a  girl,  when  sweeping  the 
room,  saw  it,  and  the  natives  killed  it. 

"  You  can  have  no  idea  of  the  variety  of  things 
there  are  to  do  and  look  after.  We  are  far  from  any 
market,  but  have  nice,  home-made  bread,  plenty  of 
eggs  and  fowls,  with  milk  from  our  own  cows.  Some- 
times the  people  give  us  beef,  or  we  get  mutton  now 


RETURN  TO  NATAL  183 

and  then,  when  the  weather  is  not  too  hot,  from  the 
market  twenty-five  miles  away.  We  become  very- 
tired  of  fowls,  although  we  have  many  ways  of  cook- 
ing them,  and  canned  meats,  as  Prof.  Drummond 
said  when  in  Africa,  '  All  come  to  taste  alike.' 

"  We  are  greatly  troubled  about  water.  It  is 
brought  from  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away  and  is  not 
fit  to  use,  until  boiled.  It  looks  like  weak  tea  and 
a  shiny  scum  rises  on  it,  before  it  is  boiled.  The 
roof  of  our  house  being  corrugated  iron,  if  we  had 
proper  guttering  for  it,  and  tanks,  we  should  have 
all  the  good  water  we  require.  We  hope  this  will 
be  done  soon." 

The  church  rose  to  a  higher  standard  of  right 
living  and  usefulness.  As  fast  as  we  could  do  so, 
we  started  out-stations,  with  day  schools,  and  serv- 
ices on  Sunday,  the  Christian  people  helping  with 
the  services  one  afternoon  of  a  week  day,  as  well  as 
on  Sunday.  There  were  a  few  who  had  been  taught 
at  the  station-school,  whom  we  hired  to  teach  at 
the  out-stations. 

With  one  of  the  missionaries  to  help  us,  we  went 
over  the  membership  roll  at  Noodsberg,  the  station 
fifteen  miles  away,  as  conditions  there  were  even 
worse  than  at  Esidumbini,  also  being  caused  by  lack 
of  needed  supervision,  that  the  mission  had  been 
unable  to  give.  The  church,  school,  and  station 
aflfairs  were  reorganized.  It,  too,  took  a  new  start. 
Before  every  communion,  we  had  to  go  there  for  a 
few  days,  and  at  some  other  times,  besides.  After 
a  while,  with  a  little  help,  they  built  a  stone  church, 
roofed  with  galvanized  iron,  where  both  school  and 


184       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

services  could  be  held.  So  many  children  came  to 
this  school  we  were  obliged  to  have  two  teachers 
for  it,  who  had  been  trained  in  the  girls'  school  at 
Inanda. 

A  little  stone  mission  cottage  was  built,  in  which 
we  could  stay  while  there,  and  we  went  in  the 
wagonette,  that  had  been  made  near  my  home  in 
America,  and  sent  out  to  me.  We  could  carry  all 
that  we  required  for  food  and  clothes  while  away, 
and  sleep  most  comfortably  in  it,  if  we  wished.  It 
was  drawn  by  six,  more  often  by  eight,  oxen,  and 
was  a  great  comfort  and  help  in  the  work.  In  fact 
I  do  not  see  how  we  could  have  lived  at  Esidumbini 
without  it. 

The  Noodsberg  out-station  was  on  a  large  high- 
land ;  higher  and  much  cooler  than  any  of  our  sta- 
tions, with  a  grand  view  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  twenty- 
five  or  more  miles  away.  I  enjoyed  the  people,  the 
work,  and  the  more  bracing  air.  I  was  glad  to  go 
there  when  I  could  do  so. 


XVI 

THE  NATIVE  CHIEFS   AND   MEETING  TO 
CALL  A    PASTOR 

QUOTED  from  a  letter  to  children :  "  I  think 
I  promised  to  tell  you  about  two  chiefs  who 
^^_f  sometimes  come  to  see  us.  The  name  of  one 
is  Deliwayo.  He  is  over  six  feet  tall,  but  not  kingly- 
looking,  or  as  much  like  a  Zulu  as  he  is  like  a  West 
Coast  African.  He  visits  us  quite  frequently,  and 
a  few  weeks  ago  came  to  church,  bringing  with  him 
fifty  of  his  men.  He  and  one  of  his  brothers  were 
dressed  in  civilized  clothes;  the  others  in  native  cos- 
tumes. 

"  That  day  we  had  over  seven  hundred  people  at 
the  service,  as  an  institute  for  native  pastors  was 
being  held  at  our  station.  The  church  was  not  large 
enough  to  hold  them,  so  we  had  the  meeting  under 
the  orange  trees  in  front  of  the  house. 

"  Besides  the  institute  classes,  there  were  two  big 
services  each  day.  Two  of  our  missionaries  and  Mr. 
Russell,  from  Maritzberg,  were  with  us ;  also  Miss 
Murray  and  Miss  Palmer  were  visiting  us  from 
Huguenot  Seminary,  Cape  Colony.  So  our  little 
house  was  quite  full  with  our  five  guests.  Some  had 
to  sleep  in  the  cottage  near,  which  we  made  com- 
fortable for  them.  The  people  were  very  kind  in 
giving  food,  both  chiefs  sending  us  meat. 

185 


186       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

"  Mr.  Russell  preached  at  the  sunrise  service, 
also  in  the  afternoon,  Gardner,  the  native  teacher, 
interpreting  for  him.  One  of  the  missionaries 
took  a  photograph  of  a  large  meeting  under  the 
orange  trees.  When  it  is  finished,  I  will  send  you 
a  copy. 

"  A  number  of  the  children  of  the  school,  as  well 
as  many  of  the  adults,  said  at  the  meetings  that  they 
would  like  to  become  Christians.  Since  then  we  have 
had  an  inquirer's  class,  for  children,  every  Tuesday, 
and  two  classes  for  older  people.  There  are  over 
eighty  children  in  the  day  school.  On  Sundays  Miss 
McCornack  has  them  in  the  school-room,  when  the 
large  service  is  being  held,  as  there  is  not  room  for 
them  in  the  church.  Last  Sunday  she  said  the  room 
was  packed. 

"  A  part  are  station  children,  the  others  are  from 
the  kraals.  The  kraal  children  have  not  yet  learned 
to  sew,  nor  have  their  mothers,  so  you  see  how  much 
it  helps  us  to  get  boxes  from  America  in  which  are 
garments  cut  and  basted  for  the  children  to  work  on 
in  the  sewing  class.  A  great  many  would  not  have 
garments  to  wear  to  school  and  church,  if  we  did 
not  help  them.  We  insist  on  having  the  children 
work  or  pay  something  before  taking  the  garment 
home,  using  what  little  we  get  for  buying  other 
material  or  books. 

"  We  try  to  teach  them  to  give,  as  well  as  receive. 
They  learn  the  same  Bible  stories  and  verses  in  Zulu 
that  children  learn  in  America,  and  look  so  happy 
and  are  so  glad  to  come  to  school,  I  am  sure  you 
would  enjoy  seeing  them.    The  Lord  Jesus  came  into 


NATIVE  CHIEFS  AND  MEETING      187 

the  world  to  save  '  Whosoever,'  the  Zulu  children, 
with  the  many  besides  of  other  nations. 

"  Now  I  must  tell  you  about  the  other  chief.  His 
name  is  '  Swayimane.'  He  is  also  tall,  but  not  too 
tall,  is  fine-looking,  has  a  well-shaped  head,  a  pleas- 
ant face,  and  bright,  expressive  eyes.  He  is  very 
intelligent  and  gentlemanly,  as  far  as  nature  and 
Zulu  customs  can  teach  him.  He  has  been  a  number 
of  times  to  see  us,  and  attended  church.  A  son 
of  his,  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age,  has  come  to  live 
with  us  and  go  to  school.  The  chief  has  told  all  his 
people  that  when  they  kill  a  beast  they  must  give 
us  some  of  the  meat.  A  number  of  times  he  himself 
has  sent  us  very  nice  beef.  This  is  a  great  help,  as 
we  are  so  far  from  a  meat  market.  We  have  a  gun, 
and  if  we  could  go  out  shooting,  like  the  boys,  could 
have  plenty  of  birds  and  venison. 

"  Swayimane  lives  about  twelve  miles  from  here. 
He  very  much  wished  to  have  me  visit  his. kraal.  It 
is  around  over  dreadful  hill  and  precipices,  and  I 
have  been  afraid  that  such  a  journey  would  be  too 
hard  for  me,  but  have  been  anxious  to  go. 

"  Mr.  Russell,  who  has  charge  of  the  Industrial 
Department  of  the  Boys'  Board  School  at  Aman- 
zimtote,  came  up  here  to  spend  his  last  vacation,  of 
nearly  two  weeks,  and  helped  us  what  he  could. 

"  He  said  he  would  go  with  me  to  visit  the  chief, 
if  I  felt  able  for  such  a  trip.  We  sent  word  that 
we  were  coming.  Very  early,  one  nice,  cool  morn- 
ing, we  started  on  horseback,  Gardner,  the  school 
teacher,  and  Plant,  a  lay  helper,  accompanying  us, 
I  do  not  think  I  ever  before  went  over  such  a  bad 


188       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

road  as  this  was.  It  was  more  difficult  than  any- 
thing I  experienced  in  Switzerland.  Many  times  we 
had  to  get  off  our  horses ;  they  could  not  hold  their 
footing,  and  it  was  not  safe  to  ride  up  and  down 
such  steep  places.  Again  and  again  I  slipped  and 
ran  and  caught  hold  of  bushes,  to  keep  from 
falling,  nearly  ruining  my  last  pair  of  American 
shoes. 

"  Natives  led  our  horses.  The  chief's  brother  and 
two  or  three  others  were  sent  to  escort  us.  At  last, 
after  passing  round  the  spur  of  an  abrupt  mountain, 
we  came  in  sight  of  '  Swayimane's  '  kraal,  about  two 
miles  away  in  the  valley  below  us.  We  sat  down  and 
ate  some  oranges  we  had  brought. 

"  After  a  little  rest  we  went  on.  The  kraal  was 
a  very  large  one.  On  reaching  it,  we  were  con- 
ducted to  a  nice  large  hut  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
enclosure.  A  mat  was  put  down  for  me  to  kneel  on, 
as  I  stooped  to  go  in  the  door.  I  could  scarcely 
see  when  I  first  got  in ;  but  there  stood  the  chief.  He 
took  my  hand  in  both  his  and  told  me  in  Zulu  how 
very  glad  he  was  to  see  me.  Then  he  spoke  to  Mr. 
Russell  and  gave  us  seats  on  the  men's  side  of  the 
house,  after  nice  mats  had  first  been  spread  there. 
He  sat  down  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  and  then 
said,  '  Saka  bona,  Inkosazana.' 

"  I  took  off  my  hat  and  gloves  and  the  chief  or- 
dered a  little  mat  to  be  spread  on  which  to  put 
them.  Native  food  was  brought  us.  It  is  always 
too  rich  for  me  and  I  can  eat  very  little  of  it,  but  I 
tried  to  eat  this.  We  had  a  small  lunch  with  us, 
which  we  asked  the  chief  to  excuse  our  eating,  and 


NATIVE  CHIEFS  AND  MEETING      189 

he  very  politely  did  so,  asking  several  times  if  there 
were  anything  he  could  get  for  me. 

"  After  resting  we  asked  him  to  call  the  people  to- 
gether for  a  service.  About  fifty  or  more  came.  Mr. 
Russell,  the  native  helper,  and  I,  each  addressed  them. 
The  audience  was  very  attentive.  I  spoke  to  them 
about  having  a  school.  They  seemed  pleased,  and 
said  they  would  build  a  school-house.  It  being  so  far 
away,  I  could  not  look  after  it  properly  at  present, 
I  told  them,  having  so  much  to  do  at  the  station, 
therefore  it  might  be  best  to  place  a  school  about 
half  way. 

"  '  But,'  I  said,  '  you  can  send  a  few  of  your  boys 
and  girls  to  live  with  us  that  they  may  be  better 
taught ;  then  when  they  have  learned  they  can  come 
back  to  their  homes  to  teach  others.' 

"While  in  the  hut,  after  the  meeting,  we  heard 
a  little  noise  outside.  Then  appeared  in  the  door,  a 
fine,  cream-coloured  goat.  It  was  pushed  right  in, 
while  '  Swayimane '  said,  in  his  politest  manner, 
'  Elako,  Inkosazana'  (it  is  yours,  Inkosazana.) 
Pleased  and  surprised  as  I  was,  I  could  not  help 
seeing  that  the  pretty  goat  was  very  much  fright- 
ened at  being  passed  over  to  a  new  owner ;  so  after 
my  best  thanks  it  was  taken  out.  A  few  days  later, 
the  chief  sent  it  to  me.  I  have  given  it  to  Miss  Mc- 
Cornack,  as  she  could  not  go  to  see  the  chief.  We 
think  a  great  deal  of  it. 

"  We  started  for  home  about  3  P.  M.  It  was 
still  cool,  and  we  could  ride  more  coming  home  than 
going.  I  rode  up  one  dreadful  hill,  more  than  a 
mile  long.     Sometimes  we  had  to  lie  right  down  on 


190       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

our  horses'  backs  to  get  under  the  branches  of  the 
trees.  Once  I  barely  escaped  being  dragged  from 
my  horse  by  a  projecting  branch.  As  it  was,  my 
face  received  quite  a  scratch. 

"  When  nearly  four  miles  from  home,  it  became 
dark  and  cloudy.  The  days  are  very  short  at  this 
season.  It  was  so  dark  we  did  not  know  the  way, 
and  feared  we  should  need  to  stay  in  a  kraal  all 
night;  but  found  a  man  there  who  knew  the  right 
path  very  well. 

"  We  walked  behind,  the  guide  and  natives  going 
ahead  and  leading  our  horses,  as  it  did  not  seem 
safe  to  ride.  I  was  dreadfully  afraid  of  snakes. 
We  came  into  a  valley,  and  a  stream  of  water  run- 
ning over  a  rocky  bed.  Then  we  rode,  following  up 
the  stream,  our  guide  still  going  ahead  to  tell  us  of 
holes  and  bad  places. 

"  We  went  on  for  a  mile  or  more  in  this  way,  when 
obliged  to  again  get  off  to  search  for  a  safe  place  to 
cross.  We  left  the  stream  and  went  up  and  down 
hill. 

"  At  last,  about  eight  o'clock,  we  came  in  sight 
of  the  lights  of  our  little  Esidumbini  home.  Here 
we  found  Miss  Murray,  Miss  Palmer,  and  Miss  Mc- 
Cornack,  anxiously  waiting  for  us.  The  bright  tea- 
table,  the  pleasant  room,  and  friends,  were  a  welcome 
sight.  What  help  a  cheery,  comfortable  home  gives 
to  a  missionary ! 

"  I  was  too  tired  to  answer  their  many  questions, 
but  Mr.  Russell  made  up  for  that,  telling  them  all 
he  could.  It  is  very  good  of  him  to  come  and  help 
us  some  of  his  vacations.     He  is  an  earnest,  Chris- 


NATIVE  CHIEFS  AND  MEETING      191 

tian,  a  Scotchman,  and  has  a  wife  and  two  children 
at  Amanzimtoti.  It  took  me  two  or  three  days  to 
get  rested  from  our  trip,  but  it  did  not  make  me  ill, 
so  you  see  I  am  much  stronger  than  when  I  left 
America. 

"  Since  our  visit,  when  he  had  the  meeting  here, 
'  Swayimane  '  came  with  many  of  his  people,  to  the 
services,  staying  two  or  three  days  in  a  nearby  kraal, 
that  he  might  attend  them.  He  seems  much  inter- 
ested. I  shall  hope  to  tell  you  more  sometime,  about 
his  little  son,  who  has  come  to  live  with  us." 

In  less  than  two  years  I  began  to  feel  that  we  must 
have  an  ordained  native  pastor  at  Esidumbini,  who 
would  be  supported  by  the  people.  But  to  find  the 
right  man,  get  the  people  to  call  him  and  promise 
to  raise  the  salary,  was  no  easy  undertaking. 

The  quite  influential,  contrary  member  was  there, 
as  he  is  sometimes  found  in  churches  of  a  more  civi- 
lized country.  He  had  a  following,  too,  principally 
of  those  who  were  not  members  of  the  church.  They 
were  ready  to  help  him  in  opposing  almost  anything 
it  attempted  to  do. 

With  the  advice  of  the  mission,  we  had  decided 
that  Mr.  Sivetye,  one  of  the  best  educated  and  finest 
graduates  from  the  Theological  School  of  our  mis- 
sion, was  the  most  suitable  man  for  Esidumbini,  if 
we  could  get  him.  He  had  become  well-known  to  the 
people,  while  at  the  various  schools  of  the  mission, 
but  his  home  was  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  away,  in  the  southern  part  of  Natal.  Every- 
where he  was  much  respected  and  liked.  But  our 
contrary  member  said,  "  No,  he  is  not  the  man  to 


192       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

choose."  But  there  was  no  other  suitable  person 
that  he  or  we  knew  of.  They  could  give  no  good 
reason  for  not  wishing  to  call  Mr.  Sivetye.  I  think 
they  just  had  the  spirit  of  opposition,  and  did  not 
like  to  promise  to  help  raise  his  salary.  Besides, 
they  did  not  really  care  for  the  higher  growth  of  the 
church. 

At  all  of  our  larger  stations,  there  are  those  to 
be  found,  who,  while  liking  to  live  at  the  station  and 
have  their  children  taught,  yet  themselves  have  a 
leaning  toward  heathenism,  and  oppose  good  influ- 
ences, often  causing  the  church  and  missionaries  much 
trouble  with  their  half-civilized  ways.  We  never 
failed  to  have  such,  and  all  the  trouble  they  could 
make,  at  Esidumbini. 

Meeting  after  meeting  was  held  to  see  if  we  could 
not  get  them  to  yield  and  sign  the  call,  as  Mr.  Sivetye 
would  not  come  unless  it  was  unanimous.  I  think 
my  courage  reached  its  limit  when  there  was  a  large 
meeting  of  the  church,  and  others  also  came.  It 
began  at  9  A.  M,  I  said  something  like  the  fol- 
lowing, when  I  opened  the  meeting :  "  We  cannot 
go  on  like  this ;  it  must  be  decided  soon,  or  we  shall 
lose  the  chance  to  get  a  good  man  for  our  pastor. 
Now,  you  who  oppose,  tell  us  plainly  what  is  in  your 
hearts  and  what  you  truly  know,  as  a  good  reason, 
why  we  should  not  have  a  native  pastor,  and  why 
not  Mr.  Sivetye.  Then  you  who  know  him,  and  you 
who  know  of  him  and  see  the  great  need  we  have  for 
a  pastor,  speak  the  things  that  are  in  your  hearts.  Let 
us  pray  often  in  our  thoughts,  to  God  to-day,  as  well 
as  together,  that  He  will  help  us  to  come  to  a  right 


NATIVE  CHIEFS  AND  MEETING      193 

understanding  of  what  we  should  do  and  then  to 
do  it.  You  know  that  the  mission,  as  well  as  I, 
think  that  he  is  by  far  the  best  man  we  can  call,  and 
we  will  be  most  fortunate  if  we  can  get  him.  Some 
of  you  have  yet  to  learn  how  you  can  and  should 
give  more  for  the  Lord's  work.  I  know  you  can 
raise  the  salai-y  of  a  native  pastor,  and  will  be  better 
men  and  women  for  doing  so.  This  station  ought 
to  grow  and  become  one  of  the  largest  in  the  mission  ; 
and  it  will,  if  you  Christian  men  and  women  rise  up 
and  do  your  part." 

Noon  came  and  passed.  I  would  not  let  a  break 
come  to  the  meeting  by  going  to  lunch.  A  girl 
brought  me  a  cup  of  cofifee.  Most  of  them  signed 
the  paper ;  at  times  all  seemed  ready  to  sign ;  words 
of  opposition  grew  less ;  but  the  contrary  man  and 
his  followers  delayed  and  delayed,  seeming  to  feel 
quite  important  that  they  could  cause  so  much  trou- 
ble. It  was  after  four  in  the  afternoon,  when  I  felt 
I  could  stand  no  more,  so  closed  the  meeting ;  but 
you  will  hear  in  another  chapter  how  in  a  peculiar 
way  the  people  were  united  in  sending  a  unanimous 
call  to  Mr.  Sivetye  to  become  their  pastor. 


XVII 
PINDILE 

I  NOTICED  a  bright-looking,  young  heathen  girl, 
who  came  quite  regularly  to  church.  I  knew 
that  she  was  engaged  to  be  married,  as  her  hair 
was  plastered  up  in  a  topknot  with  red  clay,  and  she 
wore  a  skirt  made  of  skin,  such  as  a  betrothed  Zulu 
girl  wears. 

She  was  quite  slight,  with  a  very  good  form  and 
an  interesting  face.  Her  hands  and  feet  were  small, 
and  she  was  really  one  of  the  finest-looking  Zulu 
girls  I  had  ever  seen.  I  spoke  to  her,  when  I  had 
a  chance,  and  she  often  came  to  see  me.  As  I  talked 
with  her  about  becoming  a  Christian,  she  would  hang 
her  head  and  say,  "  Yes,  I  would  very  much  like  to 
be  one ;  but  my  friends  refuse."  She  learned  some 
verses  of  Scripture,  and  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

The  first  verse  that  I  always  taught  them  was  from 
John  3 :  i6.  "  Utixo  wa  li  tanda  izwe  kangaka  wa 
nika  indodana  yake  i  zelwa  i  yodwa,  ukuba  bonke 
aba  kolwa  iyo  ba  nga  bube,  ba  be  noku  pila  o  pakade." 

When  in  her  home,  before  they  retired  at  night, 
she  wanted  to  say  the  Lord's  prayer.  Her  father 
was  willing,  but  her  mother  would  not  allow  her 
to  do  so. 

At  last  she  told  me  the  greatest  of  her  difficulties. 
She  was  engaged  to  a  young  man  who  was  not  a 

194 


PINDILE  195 

Christian,  and  he  did  not  wish  her  to  become  one. 
The  dowry,  of  seven  head  of  cattle,  had  been  given, 
and  were  with  her  father's  herd.  Their  horns  were 
long  and  their  bodies  fat.     What  could  she  do? 

The  young  man's  home  was  not  far  away,  but  he 
worked  in  Durban.  We  could  not  ask  her  to  give 
him  up,  yet  we  could  teach  her  God's  word  and 
pray  that  He  would  guide  her.  After  a  few  months 
she  came  and  urged  me  to  write  a  letter  for  her,  to 
her  intended,  as  she  wished  to  tell  him  again  her 
great  desire  to  become  a  Christian.  He  could  get 
a  friend  in  Durban  to  read  the  letter  for  him.  She 
told  us  just  what  to  write,  and  the  letter  was  sent. 
Soon  a  reply  came  back.  In  it  was  this  sentence: 
"  Choose !  Choose  me,  and  I  will  marry  you.  Choose 
the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  and  I  will  give  you  up; 
then  the  cattle  shall  be  returned  by  your  father  to  us." 
Sadly  she  went  home,  while  we  often  continued  to 
pray  for  her. 

I  do  not  think  that  from  the  first  she  had  cared 
deeply  for  him.  Her  friends  had  wished  the  match, 
and  she  had  drifted  into  their  plans. 

She  usually  came  to  church  and  was  earnest  in 
seeking  to  hear  and  learn  all  she  could  of  the  truth. 
Her  home  was  about  three  miles  from  the  station. 
A  few  months  after  the  letter-writing,  I  found  her, 
just  at  sundown,  in  our  kitchen.  I  said,  "  Oh,  Pindile, 
you  ought  not  to  be  here  so  late.  It  will  be  dark 
before  you  get  home."  Her  blanket  was  over  her 
head,  she  looked  up  into  my  face,  with  a  bright, 
happy  smile,  then  threw  it  back  and  said,  "  Ngi 
ketile"  (I  have  chosen)  "  Inkosazana." 


196       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

The  clay  was  all  washed  out  of  her  hair,  and  with 
the  thorough  bath  which  she  had  given  her  face  and 
body,  her  appearance  was  greatly  changed.  She  had 
come  to  stay,  if  we  would  keep  her.  We  found  a 
dress  and  some  other  garments  that  she  could  put 
on.  Her  face  was  radiant,  and  from  that  time  she 
never  seemed  to  regret  the  step  which  she  had  taken. 

But  I  dreaded  the  next  morning,  when  her  father 
and  friends  would  come,  and,  with  stormy,  bitter 
words  try  to  make  her  return  home,  as  they 
usually  do  in  such  cases.  The  father  came,  and  to 
my  surprise  and  relief,  not  with  bitter  words.  In  a 
kind,  courteous,  manly  way,  he  said  it  would  be  very 
trying  for  him  if  the  engagement  were  broken  off 
and  the  cattle  given  up.  The  whole  affair  would 
greatly  anger  the  young  man's  friends.  "  But,"  said 
he,  "  I  will  not  force  my  daughter  as  some  heathen 
people  do,  to  marry  a  man  whom  she  does  not  wish 
to  marry,  nor  will  I  hinder  her  from  becoming  a 
Christian."  This  was  so  unusual,  we  could  hardly 
believe  what  we  heard,  thanking  God  for  it  all.  The 
man  proved  true  to  what  he  had  said,  and  was  always 
our  friend.  I  have  a  very  pretty  war  shield  that  he 
gave  me  when  I  came  to  America.  Not  many  days 
after  that  morning,  he  came  to  tell  me  how  the 
young  man's  friends  had  arrived  the  day  before, 
and  driven  away  the  cattle,  which  had  been  the  dowry 
gift  for  his  daughter. 

Pindile  continued  to  seem  happy.  She  soon 
learned  to  sew,  and,  after  a  while,  to  read  the  Testa- 
ment. I  allowed  her  to  work  in  the  house  more 
quickly  than  I   ever  did  any  other  raw  Zulu  girl. 


PINDILE  197 

From  the  first  she  was  tidy  and  painstaking,  wanted 
to  learn  to  cook  and  to  take  care  of  the  dining-room. 
She  had  a  nice  way  of  her  own  in  arranging  flowers, 
keeping  fresh  ones  on  the  table  and  in  other  parts 
of  the  house. 

An  uncle  of  hers,  who  had  died  some  years  before, 
painted  animals,  trees,  and  bits  of  landscape,  on 
pieces  of  gourds  and  bark,  in  quite  a  remarkable  way 
for  a  heathen  man  who  had,  very  likely,  never  seen 
a  picture.    I  have  some  of  them  now. 

Pindile  was  so  slight  and  refined,  an  EngHsh  lady, 
who  was  visiting  us,  called  her  "  the  little  lady." 
Other  friends  caught  the' name,  and,  seeing  her,  con- 
tinued to  call  her  so.  It  did  no  harm,  as  she  could 
not  understand  English.  She  was  too  old  when  she 
began  to  learn  to  make  a  good  scholar  in  books,  and 
did  not  try  to  study  any  but  those  in  her  own  lan- 
guage. She  loved  to  read  the  Testament  and  have 
it  explained  to  her. 

The  Zulus  have  a  curious  superstition  about  milk- 
ing a  cow.  A  woman  never  milks,  and  a  man  will 
not  unless  the  calf  is  let  out  and  goes  to  the  cow, 
for  a  few  moments,  before  he  begins.  They  say  she 
will  not  give  down  her  milk  properly,  unless  she 
sees  the  calf.  We  were  very  dependent  on  the  milk 
which  our  own  cows  gave.  The  calf  of  our  best  cow 
died,  and  I  knew  there  would  be  trouble  about  the 
milking;  so  I  had  them  skin  the  calf.  We  made  a 
little  frame  with  four  legs  and  put  it  in  the  skin  with 
grass  for  stuffing.  When  it  was  sewed  up  it  looked 
quite  like  a  calf.  English  friends  called  it  a  Yankee 
invention.     However,  it  was  brought  out  and  stood 


198       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

by  the  cow  at  every  milking.  She  would  appear 
pleased  and  nose  it  over,  after  which  there  was  no 
more  trouble.  For  many  months  the  cow  was  milked 
with  that  prelude. 

Most  of  the  cattle  in  South  Africa  have  very  long, 
broad  horns.  We  had  a  cow  whose  horns  were  more 
than  four  feet  from  tip  to  tip.  One  morning  the 
boys  were  having  trouble  to  get  her  new  calf  away 
from  her  and  into  the  stable.  I  was  afraid  they 
would  be  hurt,  so  went  out  the  kitchen  door,  which 
was  five  or  six  rods  from  the  stable,  and  called  to 
them  to  be  careful.  I  walked  a  little  way  to  a  large 
log  of  wood,  on  the  other  side  of  which  Pindile  was 
washing  clothes.  Then  a  strange  thing  happened,  for 
which  we  could  never  account.  I  had  on  nothing 
bright ;  my  dress  was  a  navy  blue.  The  cow,  hearing 
me  call  to  the  boys,  turned  her  head,  shook  it,  left 
the  boys  and  her  calf  and  came  madly  toward  me ! 
My  mind  was  perfectly  clear,  but  I  could  not  move. 
I  thought  many  things  in  that  half-moment.  I  hoped, 
her  horns  being  so  broad  and  I  so  near  the  log, 
that  they  might  hit  it,  and  her  nose  strike  me.  They 
did  so,  and  as  I  fell,  she  kicked  and  trampled  my 
body.  I  remember  putting  my  arm  over  my  head 
to  save  that.  It  was  many  years  before  I  ceased 
to  see  her  feet  over  me  in  my  dreams,  or  when  my 
eyes  were  closed. 

The  boys  rushed  with  their  sticks  to  beat  her  ofT, 
but  before  they  could  reach  me,  Pindile,  the  slight 
girl,  had  run  around  the  log,  and,  as  the  cow,  pawing, 
released  her  horns  from  it  and  tossed  her  head  for 
another  chance  at  me,  the  girl  rushed  in  between  her 


PINDILE  199 

horns  and  held  each  for  half  a  moment,  startling  her, 
until  the  boys  could  beat  the  wild  beast  away.  I  was 
quite  conscious  as  they  carried  me  into  the  house, 
my  head  not  being  hurt.  They  had  to  beat  the  cow 
back  from  following  us,  almost  to  the  kitchen  door. 
The  arm  that  I  had  held  over  my  head,  and  all  that 
side  was  badly  bruised,  and  some  ribs  broken.  The 
other  side  of  my  body  that  struck  the  ground,  was 
paralyzed,  and  continued  so  for  a  few  days. 

We  could  not  know  how  badly  I  was  hurt,  inter- 
nally, until  the  doctor  reached  us.  As  soon  as 
possible,  a  native  was  sent  the  twenty-five  miles  to 
the  nearest  one.  He  reached  us  a  little  after  noon, 
the  next  day,  which  was  Sunday.  In  the  meantime 
I  remembered  what  I  would  give  a  native,  if  hurt, 
and  I  took  that.  I  lay  very  weak  and  in  much  pain, 
scarcely  able  to  talk  or  have  the  least  noise  or  jar 
in  my  room,  or  even  the  bed  touched.  The  people 
wanted  to  see  me,  but  I  felt  too  ill  to  have  them 
come  into  my  room.  They  were  unable  to  under- 
stand not  being  allowed  to  do  so  and  begged  just 
to  see  my  face  and  know  that  I  was  truly  alive. 
Mr.  Goodenough,  one  of  our  missionaries,  happened 
to  be  with  us,  and  was  a  great  comfort  and  help. 

The  bell  rang  for  church ;  I  knew  that  many  of 
them  were  about  and  in  the  yard.  Miss  McCornack 
was,  for  a  few  minutes,  in  another  part  of  the  house, 
when  Hannah,  one  of  the  Bible  women,  quietly  slipped 
into  my  room.  She  raised  her  hand  and  said,  "  Don't 
speak,  Inkosazana,  I  must  come  in,  I  must  speak  to 
the  Lord,  here  with  you."  She  knelt  down  and 
began  to  pray,   softly.     Miss   McCornack  came  in. 


200       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

We  have  always  regretted  that  we  could  not  have 
taken  down  that  remarkable  prayer  of  faith,  word 
for  word. 

She  reminded  the  Lord  of  their  needs ;  of  the  state 
they  were  in  as  a  church  and  people  when  we  came 
there ;  of  their  gratitude  to  Him  for  making  us  will- 
ing to  come ;  of  the  improvement  in  the  church  and 
on  the  station,  and  of  His  promises.  Then  she 
summed  it  all  up,  saying,  in  substance,  "  Seeing,  dear 
Lord,  how  things  are  with  us  at  this  stage,  knowing, 
as  you  must,  how  great  is  our  need,  now  that  we  are 
beginning  to  live,  also  that  there  is  no  one  else  to 
come  to  our  help,  you  surely  will  let  Inkosazana  stay 
with  us  a  few  years  longer.  I  am  sure.  Lord,  that 
you  love  us,  and  will  let  her  stay  for  our  sakes ;  even 
if  she  wants  to  go  to  heaven,  you  can  give  her  life 
and  health  to  stay  a  little  longer."  When  she  had 
finished,  I  motioned  her  to  me,  and,  as  I  took  her 
hand,  I  told  her  that  her  prayer  had  brought  faith 
and  courage  to  me  and  I  felt  that  it  would  be  an- 
swered. When  she  had  gone  I  said  to  my  dear  as- 
sociate, ''  We  do  not  know  how  badly  I  may  be  hurt, 
but  I  am  sure  that  prayer  will  be  answered." 

When  the  doctor  came  at  last,  he  found,  as  we 
had  thought,  that  there  were  no  bones  broken,  aside 
from  some  of  the  ribs,  although  the  shock  to  my 
nervous  system  was  very  great.  I  have,  in  fact, 
never  recovered  from  it,  but  a  month  or  two  after 
was  able  to  take  up  some  of  the  work  again.  The 
following  year,  however,  I  was  seriously  ill,  and 
once  again  before  I  left  Natal,  as  the  result  of  that 
accident. 


PINDILE  201 

After  it  happened,  as  soon  as  I  was  a  little  better, 
one  bright  morning,  a  delegation  of  the  Christian 
men  came  and  urged  that  they  might  come  in  to  see 
me.  With  many  expressions  of  sympathy,  they  said 
they  had  come  to  tell  me  their  eyes  were  now 
open,  making  them  ready  to  vote  unanimously  to  call 
Mr.  Sivetye  to  be  their  pastor.  All  were  there,  even 
the  contrary  deacon.  This  was  indeed  good  news 
and  helped  me  to  bear  the  pain  I  was  suffering, 
because  it  had  brought  the  church  to  call  and  agree 
to  support  a  pastor. 

Pindile  never  seemed  quite  to  understand  how 
great  and  noble  her  act  had  been  in  risking  her  own 
life  to  save  mine.  Whenever  we  tried  to  talk  with 
her  about  it  and  express  our  gratitude,  she  would 
say :  "  What  else  could  I  do  ?  I  did  not  have  time 
to  think  that  the  cow  might  kill  me,  I  only  thought 
how  I  could  save  Inkosazana  from  being  killed.  I 
saved  her  and  I  was  not  hurt,  only  frightened,  be- 
cause I  feared  the  cow  would  toss  her." 

When  friends  in  America  sent  her  presents  with 
expressions  of  gratitude,  she  would  say :  "  It  is  kind 
of  them  to  send  me  loving  words  and  these  nice 
things;  I  am  pleased;  I  thank  them;  but  I  cannot 
understand  why  they  think  it  was  so  much  for  me 
to  do.  I  could  not  help  it ;  I  am  very  glad  I  could  do 
it ;  God  gave  me  the  strength." 

She  lived  with  us  for  a  number  of  years.  Then 
a  new  missionary  and  his  wife  greatly  needed  some 
one  upon  whom  they  could  rely,  to  help  in  the  house. 
Living  with  them,  Pindile  could  have  lessons  with 
the  wives  of  the  preachers,  who  were  studying  in 


202       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

the  Theological  School  at  Amanzimtote,  so  we  re- 
luctantly let  her  go  to  them.  They  thought  much  of 
her,  and  she  was  a  great  help  in  their  home.  Some- 
times she  came  back  to  see  us  and  visit  her  parents. 
After  a  few  years  she  was  married  to  a  young  man, 
who  was  there  in  school  for  a  time,  and  they  went 
to  live  at  a  station  farther  away. 

One  of  her  brothers  became  a  Christian,  and  is 
well  educated.  Her  mother,  who  would  not  allow 
her  to  pray  the  Lord's  prayer  in  the  home,  also  ac- 
cepted Jesus.  I  remember  how  she  used  to  walk 
the  three  miles,  morning  after  morning,  once  a  week, 
to  come  to  the  sunrise  inquirers'  class  I  had  for  the 
women.  She  was  too  old  to  learn  to  read,  but  eagerly 
learned  many  gospel  truths  and  remembered  them. 
She  came  very  regularly  to  church  and  to  prayer 
meeting,  and  was  finally  admitted  to  the  church  as 
a  member.  The  father  came  to  church,  but  was  not 
a  member,  when  I  left. 

I  will  tell  more  about  Hannah,  who  prayed  that 
wonderful  prayer,  in  another  chapter. 


XVIII 
THE   NATIVE   PASTOR 

THERE  was  no  house  in  which  the  native 
pastor  and  his  wife  could  Hve,  after  reaching 
Esidumbini.  We  called  a  large  meeting  of 
the  people,  the  Christian  men  and  women,  the  heathen 
chiefs,  with  men  of  their  tribes,  and  laid  the  case 
before  them,  asking  that  they  give  money,  or  work, 
to  aid  in  building  a  suitable  residence  for  him. 

Some  of  the  Christian  people  were  urged  to  give 
at  least  a  pound  apiece  in  money,  and  also  the  heathen 
chiefs  the  same.  Others  were  asked  to  give  half  as 
much  as  that,  or,  according  to  their  means.  Even 
the  children  in  the  schools  were  expected  to  do  some- 
thing. Considerable  was  raised  or  promised  that 
day ;  within  a  few  months  we  had  over  forty  pounds, 
and  the  house  was  commenced. 

Then  began  a  most  wearing  undertaking,  which  I 
very  much  dreaded.  There  was  no  one  to  look  after 
the  building  but  myself,  and  no  native  builders  to 
take  charge  of  the  work.  We  could  not  afford  to 
hire  a  white  man.  In  the  mission  were  native  car- 
penters, who  had  been  trained  in  the  Industrial  School 
of  the  mission,  but  they  were  in  great  demand,  and 
at  that  time  we  could  not  get  one,  as  only  a  few  had 
yet  been  trained. 

Some  of  the  material,  such  as  doors,  windows,  and 
203 


204>       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

roof  timbers,  had  to  be  brought  from  Durban,  fifty 
miles  away.  Then  the  draggling  jobs  of  work,  here 
a  little  and  there  a  little,  as  we  could  get  it  done, 
wore  on  one's  patience  until  it  was  in  threads.  We 
had  to  watch  that  every  spot  on  the  posts  was  well- 
covered  with  tar,  to  keep  out  the  white  ants.  A  place 
no  larger  than  a  common  nail  hole  left  untarred,  as 
I  have  known  in  a  number  of  instances,  might  lead 
to  the  post,  beam,  or  door  casing  being  made  only 
a  shell,  before  we  knew  the  ants  were  at  work.  In 
our  houses  we  put  tar  on  the  wood  next  the  wall, 
and  paint  the  doors  and  casings  which  appear  in  the 
room,  as  that  also  is  some  protection  from  the  ants. 

We  would  go  over  to  the  house,  sometimes,  to  find 
a  good  and  needed  timber  sawed  as  it  should  not 
have  been,  or  a  weak  timber  put  where  it  must  be 
replaced  by  a  stronger  one.  The  walls  were  of  reeds 
and  plaster;  the  roof  of  thatch.  The  frame  was 
strong  and  substantially  made,  partly  of  timber  that 
we  bought,  and  partly  of  that  procured  in  the  bush 
on  the  Reserve. 

At  last  it  was  finished,  but  not  before  the  pastor 
came.  Until  it  was  ready,  we  gave  up  for  their  use, 
the  primary  school-room  and  our  storeroom,  which 
were  under  the  same  roof  near  our  house.  The  rail- 
way had  been  brought  to  within  twenty-five  miles 
of  Esidumbini.  We  united  with  the  people  in  fur- 
nishing oxen  sufficient  for  a  wagon,  that  one  of  the 
men  loaned,  to  bring  the  pastor  and  his  family  from 
the  railway  to  Esidumbini.  I  do  not  think  I  have 
mentioned  that  the  name,  Esidumbini,  means  "  In  the 
caladiums ; "   a   large    variety   of    this   plant   grows 


^^^^  w ' 

1 

THE  NATIVE  PASTOR  205 

abundantly  there,  and  the  tubers  are  greatly  enjoyed 
for  food. 

The  pastor,  his  wife,  and  three  nice  children,  ar- 
rived a  little  after  dark.  As  I  write,  I  find  myself 
wiping  tears  of  joy  from  my  eyes  as  I  remember 
how  pleased  and  grateful  we  were  to  see  them,  realiz- 
ing that  at  last  they  had  arrived  to  stay,  and  to  help 
us  in  the  work.  We  had  a  nice  supper  for  them,  and, 
after  prayers,  showed  them  to  the  little  cottage,  made 
ready  for  their  use,  until  their  house  was  completed. 
A  few  days  after  we  had  what  we  chose  to  call  a 
kind  of  "  Installation  "  for  the  pastor,  although  he 
was  not  yet  ordained.  I  trust  that  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, we  may  be  excused  for  our  use  of  that 
word,  and  not  thought  of  as  unorthodox.  No  one  of 
our  missionaries  could  come  to  our  aid.  We  hoped 
that  Mr.  Goodenough  would  be  there,  but  in  the 
morning  we  got  a  letter  from  him  saying  that  he 
was  very  sorry,  but  it  would  be  impossible  for  him 
to  leave  home. 

There  was  not  a  native  man  in  the  church  who 
could  be  of  much  help  in  conducting  such  a  service, 
making  it  pleasant  to  all,  and  give  a  cordial  welcome 
to  the  new  pastor;  I  had  to  do  it  myself.  I  asked 
the  oldest  member  to  sit  up  on  the  platform  with  me. 
His  eyes  were  too  dim  to  read,  but  he  was  a  good 
old  man.  He  had  on  his  Sunday  clothes,  and  did  his 
very  best  to  rise  to  the  occasion.  We  asked  the  new 
pastor  to  sit  up  there  with  us.  A  very  large  con- 
gregation of  people  came  together,  from  far  and  near. 
To  add  to  the  embarrassing  position  I  was  in,  four 
Swedish  missionaries,  two  ladies  and  two  gentlemen. 


206       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

came  just  before  the  service.  I  could  not  ask  them 
to  help,  as  they  did  not  know  enough  Zulu,  and  only 
a  little  English. 

However,  I  trusted  that  help  would  be  given  us. 
After  a  prayer,  we  read  the  Charity  Chapter,  in  First 
Corinthians,  and  sang;  then  I  introduced  our  new 
pastor  to  the  people,  and  gave  them  a  little  charge 
in  regard  to  their  relations  and  duty  to  him.  The 
old  man  followed  with  a  few  nice  words  of  welcome, 
and  others,  both  men  and  women  in  the  congrega- 
tion, continued  with  grateful  and  pleasing  words.  I 
called  on  three  old  heathen  chief  men  to  speak.  They 
were  pleased  to  respond,  and  did  so  with  intelligent, 
hearty  expressions  of  friendly  welcome. 

A  number  of  prayers  were  offered  between  the 
speeches.  The  young  people  and  children  sang  nicely, 
five  or  six  times. 

The  pastor  made  a  touching  and  earnest  speech. 
After  the  meeting,  the  church  members  all  came  to 
our  house  to  lunch  with  the  pastor  and  his  wife.  The 
people  were  very  much  pleased,  and  appeared  so 
nicely,  it  gave  us  encouragement  and  hope  for  the 
future  of  the  work.  At  the  close,  we  sang  a  hymn, 
and  the  pastor  offered  prayer. 

I  must  now  tell  you  a  little  of  Pastor  Sivetye,  and 
his  history.  He  was  neat  in  his  person  and  dress, 
had  a  good  form  and  a  very  intelligent  face,  was 
reserved,  and  did  not  talk  unless  he  had  something 
worth  saying.  His  manners  were  natural  and  re- 
fined, while  he  seemed  to  see  quickly  the  fitness  of 
things,  when  with  cultured  people,  as  well  as  when 
with  those  who  were  not.     He  treated  the  unedu- 


THE  NATIVE  PASTOR  207 

cated  heathen  with  much  kindness  and  consideration. 
They  all  seemed  to  like  him,  while  the  Christian 
Zulus  throughout  the  mission,  with  the  missionaries 
and  many  English  people  in  the  colony,  had  high 
regard  for  him.  He  had  always  been  honest,  upright, 
and  just,  studiously  embracing  every  opportunity  he 
could  of  gaining  knowledge.  For  one  who  could  only 
attend  the  schools  in  Natal,  he  had  a  fairly  good 
education,  spoke  English,  and  gained  a  remarkable 
familiarity  of  the  Bible,  was  not  conceited,  but  an 
earnest,  practical,  Christian  man,  and  a  good 
preacher. 

I  first  saw  him  when  he  was  a  boy,  and  had  since 
seen  him  a  few  times,  but  knew  more  about  him  from 
what  I  had  been  told  by  others  in  the  mission.  He 
was  born  of  heathen  parents,  and  his  full  name  was 
Mvakwendhlu  Sivetye.  His  father  was  a  chief  man 
of  their  tribe.  A  grown  daughter  of  one  of  our 
missionaries,  who  knew  him  and  his  family  well,  told 
me  that  though  his  mother  was  a  heathen  when  she 
first  knew  her,  yet  she  was  refined  in  her  manners, 
intelligent,  kindly,  and,  as  the  impulsive  girl  said, 
"  She  seemed  like  a  real  lady  to  me.  I  was  always 
glad  to  see  and  talk  with  her.  She  never  told  any- 
thing before  me,  or  spoke  a  word  that  a  child  should 
not  hear." 

When  Mr.  Sivetye  was  a  boy,  he  had  on  his  shoul- 
der what  is  commonly  called  a  "  Natal  Sore."  Such 
sores  are  very  difficult  to  heal,  and  the  natives,  in 
many  parts  of  the  country,  sometimes  have  them. 
At  his  home  all  the  incantations  and  arts  of  the 
medicine  doctors,  with  their  drugs,  only  made  the 


208       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

painful  sore  worse.  At  last  his  friends  brought  him 
thirty  miles  or  more,  to  one  of  our  missionaries,  who 
was  very  successful  in  treating  such  cases.  It  took 
months,  and  sometimes  years,  to  cure  a  difficulty  of 
that  kind  and  get  the  disease  out  of  the  blood. 

The  boy  enjoyed  staying  at  the  station,  and  soon 
became  interested  in  going  to  school  and  church.  It 
was  not  long  before  he  learned  to  read  in  his  own 
language.  When  he  becam.e  well  and  strong,  his 
friends  said  he  must  return  home.  He  did  not  wish 
to  go ;  they  urged  and  at  last  compelled  him,  dragging 
him  away  and  tearing  off  the  clothes  that  he  had 
so  much  enjoyed  wearing. 

Although  his  home  was  at  such  a  distance  from 
the  station,  yet,  after  a  while,  he  ran  away  and  came 
back,  as  he  said,  "  To  learn  more."  Again  they  came 
after  him,  beat  and  dragged  him  away  as  they  had 
before.  When  they  got  him  home,  that  time,  they 
tied  him  in  a  hut  to  a  post,  which  was  near  the  place 
where  the  fire  is  built.  It  was  a  very  hot  day;  they 
kept  the  fire  going  all  the  time,  while  he  was  tied 
there,  and  told  him  they  would  do  something  worse 
than  that  if  he  ran  away  again,  but  he  did,  after  a  few 
months,  and  for  quite  a  while  they  delayed  to  come 
for  him.  Every  day  he  lived  in  fear  of  their  coming, 
yet  went  to  school  and  learned  as  much  as  he  could, 
always  hoping  that  some  day  he  might  do  as  he 
wished  and  openly  become  a  Christian. 

He  was  getting  to  be  quite  a  big  boy  when  again 
his  family  got  hold  of  him,  tore  off  his  clothes,  treat- 
ing him  so  badly  he  became  discouraged  and  said 
there  was  no  use  of  trying  to  learn,  or  be  anything 


THE  NATIVE  PASTOR  209 

but  a  heathen.  So  he  went  to  their  dances,  beer 
drinks,  and  other  doings,  in  his  native  dress.  He 
Hved  in  that  way  till  he  was  about  eighteen  years  of 
age.  All  the  time,  as  he  told  me,  he  had  a  "  uvalo  " 
in  his  heart,  a  feeling  that  he  was  fighting  against 
God  and  truth.  Many  nights  he  was  unable  to  sleep 
for  sorrow  when  thinking  of  these  things.  At  last 
he  could  endure  it  no  longer,  and  went  back  to  the 
station.  This  time  his  friends  let  him  remain.  After 
he  had  learned  all  that  he  could  there,  he  went  for 
four  years  to  the  training  school  at  Amanzimtote, 
from  which  he  graduated.  Then  he  returned  to  his 
home  and  taught  a  school  at  an  English  mission 
station,  not  many  miles  away.  In  the  school  was  a 
girl,  who  afterward  became  his  wife.  He  earned 
money  by  teaching;  they  were  married  and  with  her 
he  went  back  to  Amanzimtote,  and  for  four  more 
years  attended  the  Theological  School  of  the  mission  ; 
his  wife  also  being  taught  in  a  department  for  the 
wives  of  students. 

After  his  graduation  from  that  school,  several 
churches  would  have  been  glad  to  get  him,  but,  as 
before  stated,  he  accepted  our  call.  Having  a  family 
to  support  may  have  had  some  influence  in  his  de- 
ciding to  come  to  us,  as  we  were  the  only  church 
where  they  felt,  at  that  time,  they  could  promise  his 
full  salary.  Our  church,  giving  as  it  had  agreed, 
friends  in  America,  at  Dorchester,  Mass.,  added  to 
that  enough  for  a  more  comfortable  support  than  he 
had  expected  to  receive  when  he  came. 

Now,  since  1894,  all  ordained  native  pastors  have 
been  supported  by  the  churches  over  which  they  are 


210       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

installed.  In  191 1,  the  seventy-fifth  anniversary  of 
the  mission,  the  total  contributed  by  the  natives  for 
church,  school,  evangelistic,  missionary,  and  all  other 
purposes,  was  about  $12,100  for  that  year. 

Within  a  year  after  Mr.  Sivetye  came  to  us,  my 
associate.  Miss  Mary  McCornack,  whose  loss  to  me 
and  to  Esidumbini  was  deeply  felt  by  all,  was  mar- 
ried to  Dr.  W.  L.  Thompson,  in  the  church,  by  Rev. 
H.  D.  Goodenough,  of  our  mission.  A  few  of  our 
American  friends  were  present,  as  well  as  many 
natives.  The  church  and  house  were  decorated  with 
palms  and  flowers.  After  the  ceremony,  lunch  was 
served  in  our  pleasant  dining-room. 

Within  a  few  days  the  annual  meeting  of  the  mis- 
sion was  held  at  Amanzimtote.  From  there  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Thompson,  with  the  other  three  missionaries 
and  their  wives,  left  for  Beira,  up  the  East  coast 
of  Africa,  where,  on  leaving  the  steamer,  they  pro- 
ceeded inland  to  Mt.  Silinda,  in  Rhodesia ;  the  whole 
journey  being  about  a  thousand  miles  from  Natal. 
The  last  half,  after  they  left  the  steamer,  was  most 
fatiguing  and  trying.  When  they  reached  Mt.  Silinda 
they  had  no  houses,  but  native  huts,  in  which  they 
lived  for  two  or  three  years.  Now,  great  progress 
has  been  made  in  that  mission ;  good  brick  houses 
have  been  built,  fruit  trees  and  gardens  planted ;  day, 
boarding,  and  industrial  schools  established,  a  church 
with  evangelists  of  character  and  consecration,  who 
are  making  large  personal  sacrifices  to  help  carry  the 
gospel  into  the  surrounding  and  distant  country. 

My  associate  having  left,  I  procured  an  English 
lady  to  come  and  assist  me.    She  was  not  very  strong 


THE  NATIVE  PASTOR  211 

or  able  to  take  much  responsibility,  although  kind 
and  willing  to  do  what  she  could. 

More  and  more  Mr.  Sivetye,  the  native  pastor,  be- 
came a  help  and  comfort  in  the  work.  In  July,  1895, 
he  was  ordained.  Missionaries,  native  pastors,  and 
delegates  from  other  stations  were  present.  It  was 
an  impressive  service.  The  examination  of  the  candi- 
date took  some  time;  he  replied  to  the  questions  in 
a  remarkably  clear  and  interesting  manner.  Some 
of  the  missionaries  said  they  had  never  heard  a  more 
intelligent,  spiritual,  and  practical  statement  of  faith 
given  at  an  ordination.  Just  at  the  time  of  the  laying 
on  of  hands  and  the  offering  of  the  prayer,  a  little 
patter  of  rain  could  be  heard  on  the  roof,  which  was 
the  only  rain  that  day. 

After  a  time  I  was  able  to  secure  another  English 
lady,  Miss  Jessie  Crocker,  who  took  the  place  of  the 
first  one  that  I  had.  She  was  more  helpful,  taking 
almost  entire  charge  of  the  station-school  and  the 
native  teachers  in  it,  but  did  not  wish  to  take  other 
responsibilities.  She  liked  teaching,  understood  Zulu, 
and  was  enjoyed  in  our  home. 

The  station-school,  church,  and  the  out-stations 
at  Noodsburg  still  had  to  be  supervised  by  those  in 
charge  at  Esidumbini.  Mr.  Sivetye,  after  he  was 
ordained,  assisted  at  church  meetings,  administered 
the  communion,  and  officiated  at  marriages  there,  as 
he  did  at  Esidumbini.  They  now  have  an  ordained 
pastor  at  that  station.  No  white  missionary  could 
have  been  more  kind  or  considerate  than  he  was  and 
continued  to  be,  as  the  years  went  by. 

He  had  good,  decided,  and  practical  plans  of  his 


212       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

own  for  work,  yet  always  liked  to  come  and  talk 
them  over  before  mentioning  them  to  the  people.  He 
used  great  caution,  as  well  as  kindness  and  wisdom, 
when  admitting  persons  to  the  church.  If  necessary 
to  discipline  a  member  for  slyly  taking  cattle  for  his 
daughters,  or  beer  drinking,  and  practicing  other 
heathen  customs,  he  understood  the  people  and  their 
ways,  and  could  find  out  the  truth  better  than  a  mis- 
sionary was  able  to  do.  Then  he  would  gently  and 
firmly  insist  on  the  church  rules  being  obeyed,  al- 
though at  times  great  opposition  might  be  shown  by 
some,  who  very  likely  had  a  tendency  in  thought,  if 
not  in  deed,  in  the  same  direction  as  the  one  under 
discipline.  Oh,  unless  you  are  a  missionary,  you 
can  never  know  how  much  there  is  to  do,  and  think 
about,  at  a  mission  station,  besides  holding  a  Bible 
in  your  hand,  preaching  to  and  teaching  such  a 
people  as  the  Zulus ! 

The  native  annual  meeting  of  the  mission  was 
held  at  Esidumbini  a  year  after  Mr.  Sivetye  was  or- 
dained. It  is  a  great  event  which  is  largely  attended, 
and  usually  held  at  some  other  station  directly 
after  our  annual  meeting  closed.  Native  pastors 
meet  with  the  missionaries  for  a  day  or  two  of  our 
meeting,  and  some  of  the  missionaries  attend  the 
native  meeting.  The  Christian  people  and  others  at 
the  station  entertained  guests.  The  pastor  took  as 
many  as  he  could,  and  we,  at  the  mission  house,  pro- 
vided husk  beds  in  the  school-room  and  meals,  for 
most  of  the  older  preachers.  Besides,  we  gladly 
entertained  half  a  dozen  or  more  of  our  missionaries, 
who  could  come  to  the  meeting.     We  had  plenty  of 


THE  NATIVE  PASTOR  213 

native  girls  whom  we  had  trained  to  make  bread, 
cook  and  do  other  work,  to  help  us. 

Although  a  long  way  from  market,  it  was  the  cool 
winter  weather,  so  we  had  a  fat  cow  killed,  and  with 
plenty  of  sweet  potatoes,  beans,  rice,  bread,  oranges, 
and  bananas,  we  did  not  lack  for  food,  and  got  on 
with  our  part  all  right,  as  I  think  the  natives  did 
with  theirs. 

It  was  a  very  fine  sight  to  see  the  church  filled 
each  day  of  the  meeting  with  well-dressed,  bright, 
intelligent  native  pastors,  and  the  delegates  from 
their  churches,  as  well  as  many  others.  Such  meet- 
ings are  conducted  in  an  orderly  and  systematic  man- 
ner, both  for  devotion  and  business.  A  sunrise 
prayer  and  conference  meeting,  each  morning,  I  have 
sometimes  felt  surpassed  any  meeting  of  that  kind  I 
have  ever  attended,  in  other  lands,  for  quiet,  practical 
words,  and  spiritual  uplift  in  prayer. 

The  first  evening,  at  the  opening  of  the  conference, 
Pastor  Sivetye  was  to  give  the  address  of  welcome. 
I  was  too  busy,  as  I  thought,  to  go,  but  the  mission- 
aries and  native  pastors  kept  urging  me  until  I 
finally  went.  To  my  great  surprise  I  found  that  one 
of  the  older  pastors,  whom  I  had  known  for  many 
years,  after  reading  from  II  John,  most  beautifully 
addressed  me.  One  of  the  missionaries  took  down 
the  address  in  shorthand,  and  when  copied,  gave  it 
to  me.  I  was  too  touched  to  say  a  word,  but  Mr. 
Pixley  kindly  helped  me  by  replying. 

Rev.  David  Russell,  the  evangelist  of  whom  I  have 
before  spoken,  came  for  Sunday  and  a  part  of  the 
meeting.     While  with  us,  he  took  the  sunrise  and 


214       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

afternoon  meetings.  Each  afternoon  large  numbers 
assembled  under  the  orange  trees  for  the  service. 
This  was  a  great  help  to  the  native  pastors  and  other 
visitors,  as  well  as  to  our  station  and  the  heathen 
people,  for  many  miles  around. 

A  goodly  number,  as  we  trust,  renewed  their  faith 
and  gained  a  stronger  hold  on  God's  promises  for 
help  and  blessing,  while  others  accepted  Christ  for 
the  first  time,  and  began  new  and  better  lives. 


XIX 
SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW 

HANNAH,  whom  I  have  hefore  mentioned  as 
coming  into  my  room  and  praying  after  I 
was  hurt  by  the  wild  cow,  was  so  contin- 
ually a  comfort  and  help,  all  the  time  we  were  at 
Esidumbini,  I  must  tell  you  a  little  more  about  her. 

She  was  born,  married,  and  the  mother  of  children, 
nearly  all  grown,  while  still  living  in  heathenism. 
Her  husband  was  a  polygamist  and  a  chief  man  in 
his  tribe.  When  he  was  about  sixty  and  she  over 
forty  years  of  age,  they  began  to  talk  to  each  other 
in  their  kraal  home,  of  what  they  were  hearing  from 
others  of  the  truths  taught  at  the  mission  station,  a 
few  miles  away. 

Becoming  troubled  about  the  salvation  of  their 
souls,  they  together  decided  to  go  and  find  out  what 
they  could,  of  the  new  way.  On  hearing  the  story 
of  redemption  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  other  Bible 
truths,  they  were  deeply  touched  and  convicted  of  sin. 
After  due  consideration  they  forsook  their  old  life, 
with  its  heathen  ways,  determined  to  begin  a  new 
one,  though  not  all  of  their  children  were  willing  to 
accept  Christianity,  at  that  time,  with  them.  The 
man,  Untombo,  made  arrangements  for  his  other 
wives  and  their  children,  so  that  they  could  have 
homes  and  become  Christians,  if  they  wished.    Some 

215 


216       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

of  the  wives  had  married  sons,  with  whom  they  went 
to  live. 

Untombo  and  Hannah  built  a  civihzed  house  at 
Esidumbini,  which  became  their  home.  They  were 
most  earnest  in  seeking  to  be  taught  of  God  and  of 
his  words  in  the  Bible,  never  seeming  to  swerve  from 
that  desire,  or  from  trying  to  live  up  to  the  light 
that  they  received. 

They  were  much  respected  and  listened  to  by  the 
heathen  people,  as  well  as  the  Christians.  After 
they  had  lived  at  the  station  for  ten  or  twelve  years, 
Untombo  died,  a  most  happy  and  triumphant  death. 
Hannah  had  grown  to  be  like  a  mother  in  Israel  to 
those  who  knew  her.  She  had  great  faith  in  prayer, 
and  frequently  visited  the  troubled,  the  sick,  and 
dying,  talking  and  praying  with  them.  The  intelli- 
gent and  beautiful  simplicity  and  directness  of  her 
prayers,  with  her  earnest  faith,  did  not  often  fail  to 
help  and  comfort  others. 

She  was  very  happy  in  Mr.  Sivetye  coming  to  us. 
At  his  ordination  and  the  meetings  I  have  mentioned, 
her  face  was  beaming.  It  was  a  great  joy  to  her 
to  meet  pastors  and  Christians  from  other  stations, 
also  to  see  Esidumbini  blessed  and  many  coming  to 
Christ.  She  became  quite  lame,  and  did  not  Hke  to 
sit  on  a  form  at  church ;  so  she  would  bring  a  mat 
to  sit  on,  spread  it  down  in  a  corner,  where,  with 
two  or  three  of  her  grandchildren,  she  remained 
through  the  service.  The  children's  father  worked  at 
Durban.  Some  bonnets  were  given  him  to  bring 
home.  They  were  small  and  made  for  grown  peo- 
ple, but  the  children  wore  them.    The  little  boy  wore 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  217 

one  upside  down.  They  were  white  straw  with 
velvet  trimming.  It  was  sometimes  hard  to  keep 
back  a  smile ;  they  were  a  picture  worth  seeing.  I 
have  always  regretted  we  did  not  have  one  taken  of 
the  group,  just  as  they  sat  there. 

The  children  would  get  a  little  restless,  then  out 
of  Hannah's  pocket  would  come  an  orange,  banana, 
a  cake,  or  piece  of  bread,  to  be  divided.  When  their 
hands  were  wiped,  out  would  come  some  good-sized 
Christmas  cards,  which  were  used  as  fans.  Soon  the 
children's  eyes,  beginning  to  close,  they  would  lie 
quietly  down  on  the  mat  and  go  to  sleep. 

For  a  number  of  years  Hannah  was  one  of  our 
Bible  women.  She  understood  and  could  tell  much 
of  Bible  truth,  yet  coming  to  the  station  so  late  in 
life,  had  not  been  able  to  learn  to  read  and  could  not 
sing;  so  I  decided  to  send  with  her  some  one  who 
could  read  and  help  about  the  singing.  This  pleased 
her  very  much,  as  we  were  able  to  get  a  young  girl 
in  whom  she  was  interested.  Her  name  was  "  Tom- 
begite."  She  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age.  Four 
years  before,  when  the  Rev.  David  Russell  had  held 
special  meeting  at  Esidumbini,  I  saw  her  for  the 
first  time.  She  rose  in  a  large  meeting  under  the 
orange  trees,  and  said  she  would  like  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian, then  sat  down.  Her  only  garment  was  a  boy's 
shirt,  that  came  nearly  to  her  knees.  Her  face  was 
most  interesting;  she  had  a  high  forehead,  well- 
shaped  head,  and  bright,  beautiful  eyes.  When  talk- 
ing with  her,  after  the  services,  we  were  all  much 
impressed  with  her  earnest  manner  and  what  she 
said.    She  continued  to  come  regularly  to  the  meet- 


218       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

ings  and  to  church.  I  soon  learned  much  of  her 
story  and  her  true  desire  to  become  a  Christian. 

Her  father  and  mother  both  died  when  she  was 
only  a  few  years  of  age,  leaving  her  to  the  care  of  a 
heathen  uncle.  Knowing  nothing  about  Christianity, 
and  being  often  lonely  and  sad,  feeling  the  need  of 
something,  but  not  knowing  what;  hearing  others 
talk  of  praying  to  the  spirits  of  their  ancestors,  she, 
when  about  ten  years  of  age,  also  began  to  pray,  in 
her  loneliness,  for  comfort  and  help.  It  was  the 
feeble  reaching  out  of  a  child  in  the  darkness  for 
light,  for  God ;  but  she  found  no  comfort  and  grew 
more  lonely,  also  more  earnest  to  know  the  mystery 
of  her  being,  and  of  the  world  about  her ;  then  hear- 
ing in  a  vague  way,  of  Christianity,  wondered  if  that 
would  help  her.  She  knew  no  one  who  could  tell 
her  much  about  it,  but  learning  that  we  were  at  the 
station,  determined  that  if  she  could  get  a  chance  to 
go  there,  would  do  so.  Her  visit  happened  to  be  at 
the  time  when  we  were  holding  those  extra  meetings, 
with  Mr.  Russell  to  help  us. 

She  heard  the  preaching,  heard  answers  to  her 
questions,  heard  the  wonderful  story  of  Christ's  love, 
of  His  salvation  for  sinners,  of  His  being  a  friend 
and  helper,  and  a  prayer-answering  God.  Her  face 
became  changed  with  an  expression  of  happy  calm 
and  earnestness  that  never  afterward  seemed  to  leave 
it,  as  long  as  she  lived,  which  was  only  a  few  years. 
Her  manner  was  gentle,  dignified,  and  reserved,  un- 
selfishly doing  anything  that  she  could,  to  help  others. 
She  quickly  learned  to  read,  write,  and  sing,  was 
admitted  to  the  church  sooner  than  was  usually  done, 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  219 

because  of  her  intelligent,  earnest  piety.  Friends 
allowed  her  to  come  and  live  with  an  uncle,  who  was 
near  enough  to  the  station  for  her  to  attend  church 
and  school.  After  a  time  she  came  to  live  with  us. 
Before  that  she  had  weeded  in  gardens,  earning 
money  with  which  to  buy  clothes,  learning  to 
make  them  in,  school,  and  always  looked  neatly 
dressed. 

In  the  mornings,  after  the  work  was  done,  she  and 
the  other  children  in  our  home  would  go  to  school. 
In  the  afternoon  she  went  with  Hannah  to  help  in 
the  meetings  at  the  kraals,  and  was  very  happy  doing 
direct  work  for  the  heathen  people  with  her.  She 
died  of  pneumonia,  a  trustful  and  really  joyful  death. 
It  was  at  a  time  when  I,  too,  was  very  ill  and  could 
not  see  her  or  do  anything  for  her.  I  had  a  very 
sudden  and  severe  attack  of  neuralgia  of  the  heart; 
she  was  taken  to  her  uncle's  and  died  there  before  I 
recovered.  Three  or  four  of  the  children  who  were 
then  living  with  us,  were  also  very  ill.  Their  friends 
came  and  took  them  home.  Two  of  them  died  within 
a  few  days.  We  think  their  illness  was  caused  by 
drinking  impure  water,  which  we  learned  about  after- 
ward. My  native  driver  and  his  wife,  who  were 
Christians  and  living  near  us,  had  also  both  died  a 
few  months  before :  she  very  suddenly  at  her  con- 
finement, he  of  consumption. 

When  taken  ill,  aside  from  the  natives.  Miss 
Crocker  and  I  were  alone.  She  was  very  brave,  doing 
most  kindly  and  lovingly  what  she  could.  The 
pastor,  Mr.  Sivetye,  and  his  wife,  were  a  great  help 
and  comfort,  night  and  day.    A  little  girl  about  eleven 


220       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

years  of  age,  who  had  come  to  us  a  year  before  from 
a  heathen  home,  would  not  go  to  bed  that  first  night, 
though  urged  to  do  so.  "  No,"  said  she,  "  I  can  fan 
Inkosazana,  and  I  know  she  breathes  better  when  I 
do  this."  Others  insisted  on  taking  her  place,  but 
in  a  few  minutes  back  she  would  come,  and,  after 
carefully  wiping  the  beads  of  perspiration  from  my 
forehead,  would  stand  using  her  fan  and  handker- 
chief almost  continuously,  again  and  again  telling 
us  she  was  not  tired,  and  could  not  stay  away.  Her 
name  was  Umncane  (which  means  little.) 

When  the  doctor  reached  us,  he  was  unable  to  do 
much  to  help,  as  he  said  he  did  not  have  with  him 
the  medicine  needed.  But  the  earnest  prayers  of  the 
pastor  and  others,  brought  to  us  all  a  sense  of  the 
nearness  of  the  Great  Physician,  and  heaven  did 
not  seem  far  away.  Many  times  Hannah  would 
quietly  slip  into  my  room  and  say  a  few  com- 
forting words  or  offer  a  prayer,  in  her  gentle  tone  of 
voice. 

I  did  not  sleep,  so  said  those  who  watched  over  me, 
nor  did  I  lie  down,  from  Tuesday  until  Saturday, 
when  our  own  American  Dr.  Bridgeman,  from  sev- 
enty-five miles  away,  came  and  injected  morphine  into 
my  arm.  Dear  Mrs.  Edwards,  from  Inanda,  thirty- 
five  miles  distant,  came  the  next  day.  The  doctor 
got  a  trained  nurse  from  Durban  to  care  for  me  for 
a  few  weeks. 

Since  my  return  to  America,  Hannah  has  gone  to 
her  reward,  being  greatly  missed  and  mourned  by 
many.  Mr.  Sivetye  wrote  me  in  regard  to  her  last 
illness  and  death :    "  As  I  have  written  you  of  Han- 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  221 

nah's  illness,  you  will  not  now  be  greatly  surprised  to 
hear  that  she  has  left  us.  Yes,  Hannah  is  gone, 
Inkosazana.  She  died  the  third  of  September,  in  the 
afternoon,  and  we  buried  her  the  following  day, 
toward  evening. 

"  The  last  weeks  of  her  illness  she  was  in  much 
pain  and  almost  helpless.  Her  children  were  very 
kind  and  did  all  that  they  could  for  her.  She  suf- 
fered much,  but  with  great  quietness  and  peace.  Her 
face  looked  beautifully.  Before  the  last  days,  while 
she  had  strength,  she  spoke  many  loving  words  to 
those  about  her  and  said,  '  li  the  Lord  calls  me  I  am 
ready  to  go  to  Him.  I  do  not  fear;  may  the  will 
of  the  Lord  be  done.'  Toward  the  last  she  could  not 
talk  much,  but  it  was  plain  to  see  she  was  happy 
in  her  heart  and,  like  a  lamb,  was  quiet. 

"  She  was  a  witness  to  the  people  for  Jesus,  which 
was  blessed  to  us  all.  Our  sadness  is  turned  into 
joy  when  we  remember  the  words  of  the  Lord, 
'  They  rest  from  their  labours  and  their  works  do 
follow  them.'  She  is  at  peace,  and  has  entered  into 
the  joy  of  the  Lord. 

"  At  the  funeral  we  took  her  body  into  the  church. 
A  great  many  people  came  and  the  children  of  the 
school.  I  conducted  the  service  there,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Taylor  assisting  at  the  grave.  And  so  it  is,  Inkosa- 
zana, Hannah  has  left  us,  which  is  our  loss  but  her 
gain." 

For  a  number  of  years  I  had  a  sunrise  meeting 
Tuesday  morning,  for  heathen  women.  Frequently 
there  were  in  it,  those  who  had  been  influenced 
directly  or  indirectly  by  Hannah.     How  well  I  re- 


222       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

member  those  mornings,  and  the  interest  I  felt  for 
the  women  as  I  heard  of  their  struggles  and  heart 
yearning  for  light  and  truth. 

One,  an  elderly  woman  who  had  first  expressed  a 
desire  to  become  a  Christian  a  few  months  before 
and  dressed  in  a  civilized  way  only  a  few  weeks,  said, 
at  a  meeting,  in  a  forced,  trembling  voice :  "I  have 
carried  a  burden  for  years,  I  must  tell  it  this  morn- 
ing, I  do  want  a  clean  heart.  I  want  to  be  free 
from  this  dreadful  sin  that  I  committed  when  a  girl. 
I  stole  three  pumpkins  from  our  missionary,  Mr. 
Tyler,  and  my  heart  has  never  been  at  rest  since.  I 
stole  them  after  a  meeting  when  I  had  heard  him 
pray  and  speak  words  about  God.  It  made  my  sin 
so  much  worse  because  I  went  out  and  stole  the 
pumpkins  after  I  had  heard  those  words.  I  confess 
it  now  for  the  first  time  (it  must  have  been  thirty 
years),  and  I  pray  God  and  you  all  to  forgive  me. 
I  have  a  grown-up  son,  married.  I  am  an  old  woman, 
but  I  want  a  clean  heart.  I  want  to  learn  about  God 
and  the  salvation  of  Jesus." 

Another  woman  said  her  husband  had  two  wives. 
The  second  wife  was  very  jealous,  told  stories  about 
her,  and  so  influenced  the  husband  that  he  left  her 
many  times  destitute  and  alone,  in  an  old  hut  not 
fit  to  live  in,  where  she  was  afraid  to  stay  with 
only  her  three  little  children.  She  had  no  friends  to 
whom  she  could  go  and  wanted  to  be  a  Christian, 
having  wished  this  for  more  than  two  years.  Poor 
thing,  life  was  very  hard  for  her!  Her  mind  being 
so  filled  with  darkness  and  heathen  customs  which 
hid  the  light.     She  had  not  yet  learned  to  look  up. 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  223 

away  from  herself  and  troubles,  to  her  friend  and 
Saviour. 

Quite  an  old  woman  said  she  had  lived  all  her  life 
for  the  world  and  Satan.  She  was  tired  of  it,  "  very 
tired,"  she  said,  as  she  struck  her  head  with  its 
heathen  "  top  knot "  polished  up  with  red  clay.  "  I 
want  to  give  up  sin  and  live  a  new  life,  leaving  all 
the  old  ways."  She  had  on  her  heathen  dress,  but 
was  getting  civilized  garments  made  for  underwear. 
I  gave  her  one  of  my  old  dresses,  which  she  tried  on, 
and  it  was  quite  a  good  fit.  I  like  to  remember  her, 
top  knot  and  all.  Her  face  was  a  study.  Light, 
joy,  thankfulness,  and  such  a  look  as  one  never  sees 
in  the  faces  of  the  native  women  who  have  not  learned 
something  of  the  love  of  God,  through  Jesus  Christ. 

Another  woman  said  she  was  greatly  troubled,  as 
her  husband  kept  making  her  go  to  heathen  doctors 
and  take  their  vile  medicine,  because  she  had  no  chil- 
dren. She  wanted  to  be  a  Christian,  but  it  was  hard 
for  her  to  keep  in  the  right  path,  with  no  friends  to 
help.  Earnestly  I  urged  her  to  trust  the  Great 
Friend  for  strength. 

A  middle-aged  woman,  whose  name  means 
"  wagon,"  said  that  great  peace  had  come  into  her 
heart.  For  some  time  she  had  tried  to  live  a  Chris- 
tian life,  but  beer  had  been  a  great  temptation  and 
snare  to  her  and  very  hard  to  give  up.  At  the  native 
annual  meeting,  held  at  another  station,  she  had  re- 
ceived new  light  and  blessing,  with  strength  to  over- 
come. Now  it  was  not  hard  to  give  up  beer.  She 
did  not  care  for  it,  and  was  very  happy. 

This  woman's  history  is  a  most  interesting  one. 


224       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

She  was  married  and  lived  in  Zululand,  the  one  wife 
of  her  husband.  They  had  three  children.  Her  hus- 
band seemed  to  be  very  kind  to  her  and  the  children. 
One  day  he  was  murdered  near  his  own  kraal  by  his 
brothers,  who  were  jealous  of  their  father's  fond- 
ness for  him.  The  murderers  were  brought  to  jus- 
tice. The  English  magistrate  was  most  kind  to  her, 
but  she  told  him  and  her  father,  that  she  could  not 
stay  in  Zululand,  so  they  let  her  come  to  a  sister  of 
her  husband,  in  Natal,  though  trying  to  keep  her 
children ;  but  she  brought  them  with  her,  hoping  the 
sister  would  be  kind,  but  she  was  not  and  tried  to 
make  her  marry  again  so  that  they  could  get  the 
cattle  paid  for  her.  One  day  the  sister-in-law  was 
away  from  home,  and  she  took  that  chance  to  run 
aw^y,  with  her  children.  She  had  once  heard  a 
visitor  tell  a  little  about  Christianity  and  Esidumbini, 
but  did  not  know  in  which  direction  the  station  lay. 
She  went  onto  a  hill  and  looked  to  see  if  there  was 
any  path.  Being  greatly  troubled,  in  bewilderment 
and  despair,  she  threw  herself  on  the  ground  and 
prayed,  "  Oh,  Lord,  show  me  the  way ;  I  do  not 
know  you  very  well,  but  oh,  will  you  not  help  me, 
and  show  me  the  way  to  Esidumbini  ?  "  She  said  she 
got  up  comforted  and  with  the  feeling  that  God  was 
going  to  help  her.  It  was  her  first  prayer.  She 
walked  about  a  little  and  soon  found  a  path.  She 
believed  it  was  the  right  one,  and  it  proved  to  be  so. 
It  was  over  twenty  miles,  but  she  reached  our  station 
safely  and  found  the  people  she  had  known.  They 
were  very  kind  to  her  and  brought  her  to  me.  She 
began  to  come  to  church,  and  soon  to  my  inquirers' 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  225 

class.  Her  three  nice  little  children  came  to  school. 
I  gave  her  some  land  for  a  garden,  and  her  friends 
helped  her  to  build  a  small  house,  where  she  lived 
with  her  children.  They  all  dressed.  The  mother 
did  what  she  could  to  get  clothes,  and  we  helped  her 
a  little.  Her  friends  (?)  did  not  come  to  trouble  her 
again.  She  became  a  member  of  the  church.  I  will 
finish  this  chapter,  mostly  of  direct  work  for  the 
heathen,  by  adding  an  account  of  a  kraal  meeting, 
and  visit  of  friends. 

A  new  missionary  and  her  husband,  while  spending 
a  few  weeks  with  us,  wrote  a  friend  in  America  some 
first  impressions  of  mission  life  and  a  kraal  meeting, 
from  which  I  now  quote  a  part : 

"  By  rail  and  post  cart  we  came  within  twenty 
miles  of  Esidumbini,  where  Miss  H's  wagonette  met 
us.  She  had  it  made  in  America  and  sent  out  to  her. 
It  is  all  fitted  up  for  travel  in  this  country,  and  drawn 
by  eight  oxen. 

"  She  had  sent  as  driver,  a  Christian  man,  who 
spoke  English  nicely.  He  was  a  teacher,  and  not 
the  one  she  usually  had  to  go  with  the  wagon.  This 
made  it  very  pleasant  for  us.  A  little  woolly-headed 
youngster  was  along  to  lead  the  oxen.  We  travelled 
until  dark,  when  stopping  near  a  small  stream,  we 
spent  the  night.  The  wagon  contained  everything 
necessary  for  eating  and  sleeping.  The  driver  and 
boy  slept  under  it,  rolled  up  in  their  blankets. 

"  In  the  morning  a  nice,  warm  breakfast  gave  us 
a  good  send-off  for  the  day.  The  little  boy  could 
not  speak  English,  so  I  aired  my  Zulu,  much  to  his 
amusement.    We  passed  one  white  man's  estate,  met 


226       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

a  number  of  natives,  and  saw  some  of  their  kraal 
homes. 

"  It  was  up  hill  most  of  the  way.  The  scenery- 
was  beautiful,  quite  different  from  any  I  had  seen 
in  America.  On  the  brow  of  a  big  and  very  steep 
hill,  down  which  wound  our  road,  we  could  see  the 
mission-houses  and  church,  over  an  hour  before  we 
reached  them. 

"  We  were  warmly  welcomed  to  Esidumbini  by 
Miss  H.  and  Miss  M.,  and  are  spending  a  very  pleas- 
ant time  with  them.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler  began  this 
station  and  lived  here  for  many  years,  but  for  twenty 
years  no  white  missionary  had  been  stationed  there 
until  these  ladies  came. 

"  We  were  very  much  interested  in  attending  our 
first  kraal  meeting.  Miss  H.  sent  word,  one  morning, 
to  a  kraal  three  miles  away,  that  we  would  hold  a 
meeting  there  in  the  afternoon.  We  had  an  early 
dinner  and  started  as  soon  after  that  as  we  could. 
Most  of  the  way  was  along  a  pretty  little  stream, 
with  green  hills  and  trees  on  either  side.  We  passed 
several  kraals.  Arriving  at  our  destination,  we  saw 
children  taking  a  bath  in  the  river,  preparatory  to 
coming  to  the  meeting.  Most  of  the  kraals  are  built 
on  the  side  of  a  hill ;  I  presume  you  have  seen  pic- 
tures of  them. 

"  For  the  first  time  I  got  down  on  my  knees  and 
crawled  into  a  hut.  We  were  given  seats  of  honour 
on  the  right  side  of  the  door.  Miss  H.,  Miss  M.  and 
Mr.  B.  leaning  against  the  side  of  the  hut,  while  I, 
on  a  bag  of  corn,  leaned  against  a  post. 

"  I  had  time  to  look  around.    The  floor  was  hard 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  227 

and  clean,  with  a  round  indentation  in  the  middle 
for  the  fire.  It  was  a  few  inches  in  depth  and  about 
two  feet  in  diameter.  The  fire  had  been  put  out  on 
our  account.  It  was  much  cooler  inside  the  hut 
than  out.  Beyond  where  we  sat  were  two  immense 
pots  for  beer.  This  is  the  season  of  beer  drinks.  Miss 
H.  said  beforehand  that  we  might  find  ourselves  in 
the  midst  of  one.  But,  fortunately,  most  of  the  men 
were  away.  A  few  dishes,  made  of  gourds,  also 
baskets  and  mats  hung  here  and  there  in  the  room, 
besides  some  shields,  canes,  and -assegais. 

"  On  the  other  side  of  the  hut  lay  an  invalid  girl, 
with  a  light  blanket  over  her.  As  I  looked  at  her,  I 
forgot  her  surroundings  in  the  attractiveness  of  her 
face,  though  she  was  an  ignorant,  heathen  girl,  who 
could  not  read  or  write,  and  had  only  once  before 
been  told  of  Jesus,  in  a  way  that  made  the  truth 
plain  to  her.  In  spite  of  her  dark  skin,  her  face  was 
very  interesting,  especially  her  large,  expressive  eyes, 
with  their  gentle,  appealing  look,  as  she  talked,  telling 
us  how  pleased  she  was  that  we  had  come.  Near  her 
sat  another  girl,  very  unlike  her  in  looks  and  appear- 
ance. A  small  girl  was  shelling  corn,  while  the 
mother  put  down  mats  and  made  ready  for  those  who 
were  coming  to  the  meeting. 

"  A  number  of  children  were  about,  most  of  them 
without  a  single  article  of  clothing,  unless  it  were 
a  little  bead  fringe.  Some  of  them  came  in  with 
babies  on  their  backs  almost  as  large  as  themselves. 
They  seemed  kind  to  each  other.  One  black-faced 
youngster,  not  more  than  four  years  old,  sat  on 
the  rim  of  the  fireplace,  not  as  a  child  but  as  a  man 


228       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

sits,  wherever  he  may  be.  There  he  perched,  hold- 
ing out  his  hands  to  the  dead  coals.  His  attitude 
and  solemn  face  caused  a  ripple  of  merriment 
throughout  the  hut,  but  not  a  shadow  of  a  smile  dis- 
turbed the  patriarchal  serenity  of  his  countenance. 
Only  one  native  man  was  present.  Seeing  a  little 
urchin  stark  naked,  he  called  him  to  him  and  benevo- 
lently tied  around  him  his  handkerchief.  There 
are  few  Zulu  men  who  have  not  for  years  carried  a 
handkerchief.  Women  and  girls  came  in,  in  various 
stages  of  dress.  Five  women  had  on  civilized  clothes. 
Not  one  in  the  neighbourhood  had  worn  them  when 
the  ladies  began  to  have  meetings  in  that  vicinity, 
less  than  a  year  ago. 

"  After  talking  with  those  present,  until  the  babies 
were  quiet  and  put  to  sleep  on  their  mothers'  backs, 
or  in  their  arms,  the  meeting  began  and  continued 
for  over  an  hour  and  a  half,  with  various  interrup- 
tions. The  closest  attention  was  paid,  and  their 
earnest  faces  as  they  looked  at  Miss  H.  must  have 
been  an  inspiration  to  her. 

"  The  sick  girl  scarcely  took  her  eyes  from  the 
speaker's  face,  drinking  in  her  words  as  if  they  were 
life-giving,  as  indeed  they  were.  When  leaving  we 
gave  her  the  oranges  we  had  brought  for  our  lunch, 
and  she  immediately  divided  them  with  the  children. 
They  have  hearts  and  souls  just  as  precious  as  ours. 
Kind  hearts,  too,  when  we  know  how  to  find  them. 

"  At  first  the  natives  all  looked  alike  to  me,  but 
now  I  am  beginning  to  see  individual  looks  and  traits, 
just  as  much  as  among  white  people.  The  mothers 
are  loving  and  kind  to  their  little  children,  but  do 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  229 

not  know  how  to  give  them  proper  care.  They  will 
feed  a  child,  only  a  few  days  old,  stewed  pumpkin 
or  a  curd  made  of  sour  milk.  For  superstitious  rea- 
sons, they  will  not  allow  it  to  nurse  the  mother's 
breast  till  nearly  a  week  old.  I  wish  you  could  see 
some  of  the  young  men.  Perhaps  you  have  read  that 
the  Zulus  are  noted  for  their  fine  physique.  Aside 
from  ornaments,  their  only  dress  is  a  thick  fringe,  a 
foot  or  more  long,  made  of  twisted,  furry  skin,  show- 
ing off  to  advantage  their  well-rounded  shining 
bodies.  Their  every  movement  is  graceful,  espe- 
cially as  they  run.  The  manner  in  which  they  hold 
a  spear  or  throw  an  assegai  is  perfect. 

"  Now  our  pleasant  visit  at  Esidumbini  is  draw- 
ing to  a  close.  Preparations  must  be  made  for  going 
to  the  annual  meeting,  to  be  held  this  year  at  Aman- 
zimtoti,  seventy-five  miles  away.  There  are  many 
things  for  the  ladies  here  to  arrange  for  and  look 
after  before  leaving.  I  will  mention  one  item,  as 
it  was  so  new  to  me.  All  the  furniture  had  to  be 
moved  away  from  the  walls  to  prevent  the  white  ants 
from  eating  anything  that  could  be  eaten  by  them. 

"  We  started  bright  and  early  Monday  morning  in 
the  wagonette,  which  had  been  gotten  ready  and 
nearly  packed  Saturday.  Miss  H.'s  patience  was 
somewhat  tried  because  the  driver  went  off  the  night 
before  to  a  beer  drink  and  goat  feast,  not  returning 
until  morning,  and  then  looking  very  unfit  for  his 
duties.  He  is  a  good  driver  when  not  sleepy,  and 
we  hope  that  some  day  he  may  become  a  Christian 
and  give  up  heathen  parties.  He  dresses  and  has 
learned  to  read.    Annoying  as  it  was  to  have  him  so 


230       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

stupid,  we  could  not  help  laughing  at  his  ambling 
along  and  the  good-natured  way  in  which  he  re- 
ceived the  sarcasms  and  jokes  of  a  bright,  fun-loving 
boy,  Maheana  by  name,  the  son  of  a  chief,  who  had 
brought  him  to  Miss  H.  to  be  educated.  He  went 
with  us  to  lead  the  oxen. 

"  We  passed  the  day  without  any  serious  accident, 
though  we  experienced  several  narrow  escapes  be- 
cause of  the  driver;  but  Miss  H.  was  all  the  time 
looking  after  him.  We  went  twenty  miles  that  first 
day,  outspanning  for  breakfast  and  for  the  oxen  to 
feed,  again  outspanning  for  two  or  three  hours  in 
the  middle  of  the  day,  while  we  ate  our  dinner  and 
rested  under  the  shade  of  a  large  tree  near  the  wagon. 

"  At  sundown  we  reached  a  house  where  two  of 
us  could  sleep  for  the  night,  the  other  two  sleeping 
in  the  wagon,  which  is  most  comfortable.  After  sup- 
per we  waited  for  the  moon  to  come  up  and  for  the 
oxen  to  feed,  as  long  as  they  could,  before  being  tied 
to  near-by  trees.  Sitting  in  the  wagon  it  was  inter- 
esting to  watch  the  dusky  faces  around  the  fire,  as 
they  ate  their  evening  meal,  with  quiet  chatter  and 
laughter,  in  which  we  sometimes  joined." 


XX 

ESIDUMBINI  ROCKS  AND  OTHER  STORIES 

ON  the  Reserve,  two  or  three  miles  from  the 
mission-house,  was  a  pretty  green  hill,  slop- 
ing down  from  the  government  road  to  a 
deep  ravine  and  a  little  stream  of  water.  About 
halfway  down  the  grassy  hill,  bursting  out  from  its 
smooth  side,  is  a  wonderful  formation  of  rocks.  No 
other  rocks,  or  even  large  stones,  are  in  sight.  There 
they  stand  alone  against  the  bright  background  of 
the  hill,  one  gracefully  towering  forty  or  fifty  feet 
high ;  another  is  over  five  rods  in  length  to  the  point 
where  it  extends  into  the  hill.  It  lies  horizontally 
supported  by  rock  pillars.  Underneath  a  part  of  it 
is  a  table  rock  and  an  area  where  five  hundred  people 
or  more  could  easily  be  sheltered.  Other  large  rocks 
and  boulders  are  connected  with  the  group.  To- 
gether it  is  considered  one  of  the  most  peculiar  and 
interesting  places  in  Natal.  It  is  far-famed  and 
eagerly  visited  by  those  who  can  do  so.  A  few  trees 
below  and  about  give  added  shade  and  beauty. 

It  is  difficult  to  get  a  photograph  of  a  place  sit- 
uated, as  this  is,  on  the  side  of  a  hill.  However,  a 
number  of  views  have  been  taken,  but  unless  one 
can  see  them  from  different  points  he  gets  only  a 
vague  idea  of  this  peculiar  spot.  The  natives  are 
quite  superstitious  in  regard  to  it.     Grown  people, 

231 


232       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

born  and  living  within  a  mile,  told  me  that  they  had 
never  been  there.  This  feeling  was  greatly  over- 
come by  our  having  picnics  at  the  rocks,  once  a  year. 

When  the  first  fruits  of  the  season  are  eaten,  the 
Zulus  call  it  "  Ilibo."  We  arranged  to  have  at  that 
time  a  picnic  for  the  school  children,  but  the  grown 
people,  also  wishing  to  go,  we  made  it  general,  for 
young  and  old,  Christian  and  heathen. 

All  were  expected  to  furnish  something  for  the 
dinner,  not  cake,  but  their  own  native  food,  including 
chickens  or  other  meat.  We  took  chickens,  a  few 
hundred  ginger  cookies,  and  coffee  for  the  crowd. 
The  people  grow  a  reedy  sugar  cane  which  is  quite 
sweet  and  much  liked  by  them.  It  makes  a  good 
substitute  for  candy,  and  is  called  "  Imfe." 

At  the  time  of  this  festival  we  always  planned  to 
have  some  of  our  mission  or  English  friends  with  us. 
Usually  one  or  two  of  the  ladies  from  Inanda  came, 
when  they  could,  at  vacation  time.  The  school  chil- 
dren would  march,  singing  as  they  went,  carrying 
food  on  their  heads  in  baskets  or  dishes,  others  carry- 
ing bundles  of  the  long  "  Imfe."  Then  we  followed 
with  the  wagonette  and  oxen,  while  the  people  came 
along  as  they  liked,  the  women  also  carrying  food. 

I  remember  once  at  such  a  time,  when  the  children 
were  marching  and  singing  so  happily,  two  heathen 
men  dashed  out  from  a  clump  of  bushes  and  caught 
a  little  girl,  a  relative  of  theirs,  who  had  come  to 
the  station  to  be  taught.  They  did  not  wish  her  to 
learn,  and  had  taken  this  chance  to  get  her,  drag- 
ging her  away  and  tearing  off  her  dress  as  she 
screamed  and  cried  to  escape   from  them.     When 


ESIDUMBINI  ROCKS  233 

we  reached  the  clump  of  bushes  the  men  and  child 
were  gone  over  a  distant  hill  and  out  of  sight.  There 
was  nothing  we  could  do  to  help,  but  pray  God  to 
give  her  another  chance  to  learn.  Her  home  was 
miles  away. 

On  reaching  the  place  for  the  picnic  we  would  sit 
down  in  the  shade  of  the  big  rock,  with  the  large 
table  rock  at  our  backs.  Then  the  children  and 
people  came,  bringing  the  food  and  setting  it  down 
in  front  of  us,  standing  the  "  Imfe  "  against  the  rock, 
making  a  pretty  background. 

Some  of  the  larger  boys  went  to  the  streams  for 
pails  of  water ;  the  larger  girls  gathered  wood  to 
build  a  fire,  and  the  women  made  the  cofTee.  When 
all  was  ready,  they  sat  down  in  shady  places  under 
the  trees  or  rocks,  while  the  teachers  and  older  pupils 
gave  each  person  a  piece  of  a  banana  leaf  for  a 
plate,  and,  after  the  blessing,  passed  the  food.  It 
was  a  happy  time  for  all  and  a  good  chance  for  the 
people  to  meet  in  a  happy,  social  way. 

After  the  dinner  we  had  little  speeches  and  pray- 
ers of  thanksgiving  for  the  blessings  of  the  year, 
then  games.  The  joy  of  the  children  was  greatest 
when  they  could  get  up  on  the  table  rock,  with  the 
larger  one  over  them,  which  was  like  a  sounding 
board,  and  there  sing  as  loud  as  they  could.  The 
racket  was  dreadful ;  again  and  again  I  had  to  send 
the  teachers  to  get  them  down  and  take  them  to  play 
some  game  on  the  grass. 

There  was  a  beautiful  little  grotto  higher  up  in 
the  rocks,  shaded  by  trees  where,  after  dinner  and 
speeches,  we  got  away  from  some  of  the  noise  and 


234       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

had  a  nice  lunch,  tea,  and  rest.  We  did  not  go  home 
until  late  in  the  afternoon.  It  was  a  day  long  looked 
forward  to  by  many,  and  greatly  enjoyed  and  re- 
membered by  them. 

Boys  and  girls  frequently  came  to  us,  sometimes 
from  homes  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  away  from  the 
station,  begging  to  stay  and  learn.  The  nearest  board- 
ing school  for  native  girls  was  at  Inanda,  forty 
miles  distant.  We  had  made  bricks  and  built  a 
little  two-roomed  house  with  a  fireplace  for  the 
boys,  while  the  girls  had  an  outside  kitchen  and 
fireplace,  where  they  cooked  their  food,  their  bed- 
room being  in  the  back  part  of  our  house.  We  did 
not  have  room  for  the  many  who  came,  and  often 
needed  to  send  them  back  to  their  heathen  homes 
but  we  usually  had  from  ten  to  fifteen  with  us.  They 
went  to  the  day  school,  worked  nights  and  mornings 
in  the  house,  about  the  grounds,  or  in  the  garden. 
We  raised  corn,  sweet  potatoes,  and  beans,  which 
helped  in  providing  food  for  them.  Evenings  they 
had  lessons  and  sewing. 

One  day  a  little  girl,  about  ten  years  of  age,  with 
a  timid,  frightened  manner,  slipped  into  the  kitchen 
and  sat  down  on  a  bench  near  the  door.  Her  cloth- 
ing was  an  old  blanket  over  her  shoulders ;  she 
looked  very  sad,  delicate,  and  forlorn,  having  walked 
nearly  twenty  miles  to  get  to  us.  Her  father  was 
not  living,  her  mother  had  told  her  she  might  come 
to  us,  but  an  uncle  was  unkind  to  them  and  would 
be  very  angry  with  her  for  running  away.  She 
begged  us  to  let  her  stay  and  learn.  I  told  her  there 
was  no  room,  as  the  house  was  now  too  full,  but 


ESIDUMBINI  ROCKS  235 

she  could  stay  a  few  days  and  get  rested.  The  next 
day  her  mother  came  to  see  me.  After  a  long  talk 
she  put  the  child's  hand  in  mine  and  begged  me  to 
keep  her.     I  said,  "  I  will  see." 

Within  a  few  days  the  uncle  found  out  where  she 
was,  and  came  to  get  her.  The  child  was  dread- 
fully frightened  and  hid  under  a  bamboo  bed,  not 
more  than  a  foot  high,  in  the  girls'  room.  He  had 
a  very  ugly-looking  face,  and  stamped  back  and 
forth  in  front  of  the  house  talking  loudly  and  wildly. 
He  said  the  girl's  father  was  dead  and  she  belonged 
to  him,  body  and  soul,  if  she  had  a  soul;  that  when 
she  was  married  he  could  get  cattle  for  her;  would 
rather  she  died  than  become  a  Christian  and  he  fail 
to  get  what  he  expected.  If  he  could  find  her,  he 
said,  he  would  drag  her  home  and  she  would  not 
get  away  again.  We  did  not  feel  frightened,  but 
very  sorry.  There  was  little  use  trying  to  talk  with 
him.  He  did  not  dare  come  into  the  house  nor 
would  I  make  the  girl  go  out  to  see  him,  but  told 
him  she  could  go  with  him  if  she  wished,  yet  I 
would  not  compel  her  to  do  so.  He  stayed  about, 
nearly  all  day,  and  then  went  home,  but  came  back 
again  and  again.  The  boys  and  girls  were  always 
watching  for  him.  At  daybreak  they  would  find  him 
hiding  behind  the  lemon  hedge,  the  cattle  kraal,  or 
some  other  place,  from  which  he  could  rush  out  and 
seize  the  child,  if  he  saw  her.  This  went  on  for  a 
few  weeks,  when  I  told  him  he  could  see  and  talk 
with  her  in  our  dining  room,  and  if  she  would  con- 
sent to  go  home  with  him,  I  would  not  prevent  her 
doing  so.     I  gave  him  a  chair  near  the  door,  then 


236       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

made  the  little  girl  come  in  and  sit  the  other  side 
of  the  room,  while  I  sat  between  them.  He  talked 
strongly  to  her.  She  was  too  frightened  to  say  much 
more  than  that  she  wished  to  stay ;  he  went  away 
without  her. 

I  had  noticed  he  had  a  very  nice  and  rare  native 
snufifbox.  I  knew  the  cost  of  one  I  had  before  seen ; 
the  next  time  he  came  I  decided  to  try  a  native 
custom  for  making  peace.  I  said,  "  You  have  a 
very  nice  snuffbox,  I  wonder  where  you  got  it?  I 
have  been  trying  for  a  long  time  to  get  one  for  my 
curio  collection  of  native  things."  I  held  out  my 
hand  and  said,  "  Please  give  yours  to  me.  Yes,  I  ask 
you  for  it."  He  was  greatly  surprised  and  startled, 
putting  his  hand  to  his  mouth  and  shaking  his  head, 
he  said,  '*  I  love  it  greatly,  we  mamo,  we  mamo." 
"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  I  know,  but  I  ask  you  to  give  it 
to  me."  With  his  hand  extended  to  mine,  he  did 
so,  and  in  a  subdued  voice  said,  "  I  am  surpassed, 
I  am  surpassed ;  the  child  may  stay."  He  never  made 
any  more  trouble  or  tried  again  to  get  her.  The  next 
time  he  came  I  did  not  refer  to  the  snuffbox  or  to  his 
allowing  the  child  to  stay,  but  said  I  would  like  to 
make  him  a  present,  and  gave  him  five  English 
shillings,  which  was  more  than  the  snuffbox  could 
have  cost  him.    He  seemed  pleased,  and  thanked  me. 

The  child's  name  was  Nomazolo,  which  means 
dew.  She  lived  with  us  a  long  time,  was  always 
slight  and  not  strong,  a  most  grateful,  devoted,  and 
loving  little  girl.  I  grew  very  fond  of  her,  and  she 
seemed  happy  when  able  to  do  anything  for  me  or 
be  in  my  room.     Strange  as  it  may  seem,  children 


ESIDUMBINI  ROCKS  237 

like  those,  from  heathen  homes,  who  Hved  with  us, 
did  not  steal ;  nothing  was  locked  up  and  nothing 
stolen.  A  Zulu  child  is  taught  to  think  of  stealing 
as  a  very  great  disgrace,  unworthy  of  a  Zulu.  But, 
sad  to  say,  as  they  grow  up  and  go  to  work  in  the 
towns  and  at  the  mines,  they  sometimes  learn  to 
steal  and  many  other  vices. 

Sunday  evenings  in  our  home,  we  had  a  little 
meeting  for  those  who  were  with  us.  They  repeated 
Bible  verses  and  sang,  then  we  told  them  Bible 
stories.  Before  the  close  each  could  say  a  few 
words  or  pray,  if  he  wished.  Nomazolo,  having 
learned  to  read,  one  Sunday  evening  prayed  the 
following  prayer.  My  associate  took  it  down  in 
Zulu  and  translated  it  into  English.  The  child 
was  then  not  more  than  eleven  years  of  age  and 
had  been  away  from  her  heathen  home  about  a  year. 
I  have  left  out  a  few  words  of  repetition.  Aside 
from  those  it  is  a  translation  of  her  own  expressions 
as  she  prayed :  "  Lord,  Thou  who  art  good,  we 
kneel  before  Thee  to-night  and  ask  Thee  to  teach 
us.  I  thank  Thee  because  Thou  art  willing  a  child 
should  come,  giving  myself  to  Thee.  I  have  not 
much  that  I  can  say;  I  ask  Thee  to  teach  me  how 
to  pray.  We  thank  Thee  for  Thy  word  which  we 
have  heard  this  day  and  ask  Thee  to  help  us  re- 
member it,  and  to  be  true  Christians  and  not  afraid. 
Lord,  Thou  who  art  good,  I  do  thank  Thee  for  all 
Thy  goodness  to  me.  I  beseech  Thee  to  bless  the 
people  at  home  and  teach  them  to  love  Thee,  believe 
in  Thee  and  not  think  we  have  gone  crazy  because 
we  believe  in  Thee.     But  oh,  dear  Lord,  let  Thy 


238       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

word  sown  in  their  hearts  spring  up  and  bear  fruit. 
I  thank  Thee  and  ask  Thee  to  have  us  in  Thy  keep- 
ing this  night  and  wake  us  in  the  morning,  if  it  be 
Thy  will.  Help  us  in  school,  dear  Lord,  to  get  our 
lessons  and  to  listen  to  our  teachers  when  they  tell 
us  Thy  word,  and  never  be  provoked,  remembering 
that  Thy  Son  was  not  offended,  but  bore  our  sins 
that  we,  dear  Lord,  might  be  saved.  I  have  not  many 
words  I  can  say  to  Thee,  for  I  am  only  a  little  child, 
but  I  pray  to  Thee,  Lord,  who  art  good,  through  the 
One  who  bore  our  sins,  whose  name  is  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen." 

Through  it  all  there  was  extreme  shyness,  an 
earnest,  quiet,  childHke  tone  of  voice  and  spirit  of 
joy.  I  left  her  in  the  care  of  my  associate,  when  I 
returned  to  America,  having  made  arrangements  for 
her  to  go  to  Inanda  Seminary,  when  a  little  older. 
She  was  not  yet  strong,  and  the  following  year  was 
ill  a  great  deal,  so  she  could  not  go  to  school  very 
much.  There  were  changes  at  Esidumbini ;  it  is 
now  a  long  time  since  I  have  heard  of  Nomazolo. 
I  think  she  may  not  be  living,  but  trust  the  dear 
Lord  did  not  forget  her. 

The  Zulus  may  not  always  show  gratitude  in  the 
same  way  that  more  civilized  nations  ought  to  show, 
but  even  when  heathen,  I  have  frequently  known 
them  to  do  many  acts  of  grateful  kindness,  as  inter- 
esting as  the  following.  One  morning  a  sick  child, 
a  little  boy  five  or  six  years  of  age,  was  brought  to 
our  door  by  heathen  parents.  He  was  so  very  ill 
with  bronchitis  that  he  seemed  to  be  dying.  We 
were  told  how  witch  doctors  had  been  consulted,  a 


ESIDUMBINI  ROCKS  239 

goat  and  a  cow  sacrificed,  but  still  the  child  was 
no  better.  I  almost  refused  to  try  to  do  anything 
for  him,  as  they  had  delayed  so  long  I  did  not  think 
anything  would  avail.  But  they  pleaded  very  ear- 
nestly, and,  feeling  sorry  for  them  as,  well  as  the 
child,  I  finally  said  they  could  bring  him  in  if  they 
would  do  just  as  I  directed  and  every  one  but  the 
mother  and  father  go  home. 

They  were  very  ready  to  do  all  I  wished.  For 
hours  I  sat  near  him,  using  the  simple  remedies  that 
I  knew  for  that  disease.  To  our  great  joy  he  at 
last  began  to  breathe  better,  and  finally  quite  recov- 
ered. After  a  few  weeks  his  happy  and  grateful 
parents  took  him  home. 

For  a  long  time  I  had  been  trying  to  get  some 
war  shields  to  send  to  America,  but  had  found  it 
almost  impossible  to  secure  such  as  I  wished.  The 
father  learned  of  this.  One  day,  weeks  afterward, 
I  saw  him  coming  wdth  four  or  five  of  his  tribe. 
Each  had  a  beautiful  shield  in  his  hand.  All  came 
dancing  and  shaking  their  shields  as  they  do  when 
they  go  to  their  chief  with  some  important  message. 
As  they  came  near  they  handed  them  to  me,  asking 
me  to  accept  them.  The  father  made  a  brief  speech 
of  thanks,  because  of  what  we  had  done  in  saving 
the  life  of  his  child.  He  and  many  of  his  tribe  have 
since  become  Christians.  The  government  has  now 
made  him  the  chief  man  to  look  after  the  secular 
affairs  of  the  station. 

While  living  at  Esidumbini,  two  strange  and  dread- 
ful calamities  came  into  the  country  and  extended 
over  all  South  Africa.     One  was  rinderpest,  which 


240       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

destroyed  thousands  and  thousands  of  cattle,  as  well 
as  some  kinds  of  the  wild  animals.  It  was  fine 
grazing  land  at  our  station ;  hundreds  of  cattle  were 
owned  both  by  the  Christians  and  heathen  people, 
on  the  Reserve.  All  of  them  died ;  so  did  my  cows 
and  the  oxen  for  my  wagon,  save  two.  An  English 
neighbour,  seven  miles  away,  had  taken  my  cattle 
to  his  ranch,  to  innoculate  them  with  serum,  as  had 
been  prescribed  by  the  noted  specialist,  Dr.  Koch, 
who  had  been  called  from  Germany  to  South  Africa 
by  the  government,  to  see  if  anything  could  be  done 
to  check  the  terrible  plague.  It  would  suddenly 
appear  in  a  herd  that  had  not  been  within  miles 
of  any  other.  The  air  or  insects  seemed  to  carry 
the  infection.  The  natives  were  so  dependent  on 
their  cattle  for  milk  and  meat,  the  loss  to  them  was 
very  great,  as  well  as  to  the  white  colonists. 

The  other  great  calamity  was  locusts,  in  1895. 
Never  before  had  they  been  in  the  country  since  the 
arrival  of  our  missionaries.  I  had  not  even  learned 
the  Zulu  name  for  them,  when  a  native  came  to  tell 
me  that  a  few  had  been  seen  not  far  away;  but  it 
was  not  not  long  before  we  knew  only  too  well,  the 
name  and  its  meaning.  They  appeared  to  us  to 
come  from  the  east.  Two  or  three  miles  from  the 
station  towards  the  sea,  was  a  high  ridge.  We  always 
first  saw  them  coming,  on  the  horizon,  just  over 
that  ridge.  Where  they  started  from  no  one  could 
tell;  suddenly  they  would  appear,  swarms  and 
swarms  of  them,  darkening  the  sky.  The  swarms 
varied  in  size.  The  largest  one  I  saw  was  over 
three   hours   in  passing,   like  a   great   thick,   black 


ESIDUMBINI  ROCKS  241 

moving  cloud ;  then  gradually  it  grew  lighter.  When 
they  came  we  made  every  possible  effort  to  keep 
them  from  lighting.  We  built  fires  near  the  gardens 
of  material  that  would  make  plenty  of  smoke,  used 
everything  we  could  get  hold  of  that  would  make 
a  noise,  such  as  horns,  tin  dishes,  and  the  voices 
of  the  school  children.  They  would  crack  very  long 
whips,  near  the  orange  trees,  and  usually  kept  them 
from  lighting  on  those.  Sweet  potato  tops  and  the 
leaves  of  a  few  trees,  they  would  not  eat;  but  corn, 
most  vegetables,  and  leaves  that  they  liked,  they 
would  completely  devour  when  they  lighted  for  a 
few  hours.  It  was  very  difficult  to  make  them  rise, 
if  they  once  stopped.  They  destroyed  a  nice  field 
of  about  five  acres  of  corn  for  us,  one  year.  It 
being  a  very  hot  day,  we  did  not  get  a  start  on  them 
before  they  settled. 

The  government  paid  the  people  for  collecting  the 
eggs,  which  were  usually  laid  at  each  place  where 
they  lighted.  Tons  of  them  were  gathered  and  de- 
stroyed the  first  year  they  came,  but  it  did  very 
little  good.  Larger  and  larger  swarms  continued 
to  appear  for  two  or  three  years,  then  grew  smaller. 
I  do  not  know  if  a  swarm  occasionally  appears  there 
now  or  not.  We  usually  saved  our  orange  trees 
and  the  garden  and  corn.  The  very  large  swarm  that 
I  mentioned  did  not  come  down  near  us,  but  plenty 
of  others  did. 


XXI 

NOHAULA  AND  UMASUKU 

"  ^^ AST  thy  bread  upon   the  waters  for  thou 
m  shalt  find  it  after  many  days." 

^^  We   started   a    Sunday   service   under   a 

tree  about  four  miles  from  the  station,  and  soon 
after  began  a  day  school  for  the  children.  It  was 
not  many  months  before  we  induced  the  people  to 
help  build  a  school-house  where  services  and  school 
could  be  held. 

Living  near  was  a  heathen  man,  Nohaula  by  name, 
about  sixty  years  of  age,  who  appeared  greatly  in- 
terested and  ready  to  do  anything  that  he  could  to 
help  and  encourage  the  work.  He  did  not  dress  in 
a  civilized  way,  yet  there  was  something  unusual 
in  his  quiet  manner  and  the  eager  expression  of  his 
face.    I  knew  nothing  of  his  history. 

From  the  first  the  services  on  Sunday  and  the 
day  school  were  well  attended,  as  was  a  mid-week 
service.  It  may  have  been  a  year  after  we  started 
work  at  that  place,  when  Nohaula  began  to  wear 
civilized  clothes.  He  then  told  me,  to  my  great 
surprise,  that  he  could  read.  I  found  he  read  the 
Testament  well  and  knew  a  good  deal  of  its  truths. 

Never  before  had  he  hinted  to  me  of  that  knowl- 
edge. He  said  when  he  was  large  enough  to  herd 
cattle  he  came  to  live   with   Mr.  and   Mrs.   Tyler. 

243 


NOHAULA  AND  UMASUKU  243 

While  there  he  learned  to  read  and  to  understand 
a  great  deal  about  Christianity.  He  saw  that  it  was 
good,  and  thought  he,  too,  would  like  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian. He  returned  to  his  home  at  an  age  when  the 
society  of  other  young  people  lured  him  to  their 
dances  and  beer  drinks.  All  his  environments  were 
heathen.  When  still  a  young  man  his  father  died, 
and  he  was  left  head  of  the  kraal,  inheriting  the 
cattle  and  property.  The  tribe  did  not  wish  him  to 
be  a  Christian,  and  he,  having  plenty  of  cattle,  they 
almost  compelled  him  to  take  more  than  one  wife. 
He  tried  to  shake  off  the  influence  of  what  he  had 
been  taught  at  the  station  and  forget  it  all  by  plung- 
ing into  heathen  ways,  dances,  and  beer  drinks,  but 
he  could  not  do  so.  Again  and  again  it  would  come 
to  him  like  a  message  that  he  was  unable  to  get 
away  from,  and  many  times  kept  him  awake  at  night. 
As  years  went  by,  the  meshes  of  heathenism  wound 
about  him,  making  it  more  and  more  difficult  to 
extricate  himself.  Never,  said  he,  during  all  those 
long  years  of  heathenism,  had  he  doubted  the  truth 
of  that  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler  had  taught  him. 
As  he  grew  to  be  an  old  man,  in  the  silence  of  his 
heart  there  whs  a  constant  yearning  to  live  a  Chris- 
tian life  and  have  his  children  taught.  The  "  uvalo," 
which,  as  I  think  I  have  before  explained,  means 
more  than  the  word  conscience  does  in  English, 
would  not  be  silenced.  When  we  began  to  have 
services  near  his  home  a  ray  of  hope  and  gladness 
returned  to  him.  He  rejoiced  to  again  hear  the 
truth  and  to  have  his  people  taught.  He  commenced 
to  read  the  Testament  and  to  pray  God  to  help  and 


244       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

forgive  him.  At  that  time  he  had  two  wives.  They 
also  went  to  the  services  and  their  children,  who 
were  not  grown  up,  to  the  school.  The  wives  and 
children  began  to  dress  in  a  civilized  way.  One  of 
them  came  to  me  and  said,  "  We  all  want  to  be 
Christians  and  we  want  Nohaula  to  join  the  church, 
which  he  cannot  do  with  two  wives,  nor  can  we, 
as  the  wives  of  one  husband.  So  we  have  talked  it 
over,  and  because  I  wish  to  be  a  Christian,  I  shall 
be  happy  to  go  with  my  children  and  live  by  our- 
selves. Nohaula  will  build  us  a  house  and  give  us 
land  for  gardens  and  some  cows,  so  that  we  may 
have  milk.  You  see,  Inkosazana,  that  will  free  us 
all.  We  can  then  be  Christians  and  join  the 
church." 

This  was  done  and  for  two  or  three  years  they 
were  instructed  in  the  inquirers'  class,  looked  after, 
and  helped  in  other  ways.  In  the  meantime,  quite  a 
serious  epidemic  broke  out  among  the  people  there, 
which  was  caused  by  impure  water  from  a  spring 
where  the  cattle  drank  in  the  dry  season.  A  number 
of  persons  died,  including  a  daughter  of  Nohaula 
and  a  brother.  The  daughter  was  a  very  promising 
girl,  nearly  grown,  who  was  getting  on  nicely  in 
school,  and  we  hoped  had  become  a  Christian.  I 
feared  that  the  epidemic  would  rouse  the  supersti- 
tion of  the  people,  hinder  the  work,  and  discourage 
Nohaula  and  those  who  were  beginning  to  live  in 
the  light.  Oh,  if  we  had  faith  to  trust  God  more 
often,  when  the  way  seems  clouded  and  the  path  not 
plain,  how  much  worry  and  unhappiness  we  would 
save  ourselves ! 


NOHAULA  AND  UMASUKU  245 

Nohaula  sent  almost  daily  to  us  for  medicine  and 
advice,  but  urged  that  I  must  not  come  to  them,  as 
he  feared  I,  too,  might  take  the  disease.  He  him- 
self became  very  ill,  but  was  conscious  all  the  time 
and  sent  word  that  he  was  trusting  God  and  thank- 
ful that  he  knew  they  were  not  forgotten  by  Him. 
As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  walk,  while  still  appear- 
ing very  weak  and  feeble,  he  came  to  see  me.  He 
spoke  of  the  native  pastor's  visits,  of  their  grati- 
tude for  what  he  and  others  had  done  for  them,  also 
of  God's  presence  and  mercy  in  all  their  trials. 
He  told  us  of  his  daughter's  death.  How  she 
seemed  to  feel  the  dreadfulness  of  sin  in  the  sight 
of  God,  yet  that  Jesus  was  able  to  save  all  who 
trusted  in  Him.  She  said,  "  Dear  Lord  Jesus,  I 
am  not  afraid  to  die.  Let  me,  I  pray  Thee,  die  now 
while  all  these  people  are  about,  so  they  may  see 
that  I  do  truly  trust  Thee  and  long  to  be  with  Thee." 
Again  she  said  to  the  people,  "Weep  not  for  me; 
weep  for  yourselves  that  you  do  not  repent  and  be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Oh,  Lord,  help 
them  to  believe."  They  raised  her  up;  she  looked 
steadfastly  toward  Heaven  and  said,  "  Lord  Jesus 
come  for  me  now  that  I  may  be  a  witness  for  Thee." 
As  she  looked  away  and  did  not  again  speak,  they 
laid  her  down,  but  she  had  gone  from  the  pain- 
racked  body,  gone  from  the  wailing  heathen  friends, 
gone  from  the  humble  home,  to  the  home  of  many 
mansions. 

The  father  said  that  no  joy  had  ever  come  to  him 
so  great  as  when  he  thought  that  his  child  had  died 
Relieving  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  now  saw 


246       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

Him  face  to  face  in  heaven.  He  finished  by  saying, 
"  The  Lord  giveth  and  the  Lord  taketh  away ; 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

Nohaula  was  gentle  in  manner,  intelligent,  with  a 
bright,  peaceful  face.  The  Bible  became  more  and 
more  dear  to  him.  He  got  some  glasses  and  they 
aided  him  very  much  in  reading.  He  was  so  earnest 
and  practical  it  was  helpful  to  hear  him  talk  or  pray. 
Before  he  and  the  wife  he  was  living  with  united 
with  the  church  we  asked  them  to  stand  up  before 
the  congregation,  and  there  promise  to  accept  each 
other  as  man  and  wife,  in  a  Christian  way,  agreeing 
that  as  long  as  they  were  living  they  would  conform 
to  that  rule.  This  they  were  very  much  pleased  to 
do.  It  was  a  pleasant  little  ceremony,  closing  with 
a  prayer.  Years  before  they  had  been  married,  ac- 
cording to  the  heathen  customs,  with  a  license  from 
the  English  government,  and  could  not  get  another 
to  be  re-married. 

I  do  not  think  that  any  one  often  lives  a  more 
blameless  life  than  Nohaula  did,  after  he  became  a 
Christian.  He  had  many  severe  trials  of  sickness 
and  death  in  his  family,  with  losses  of  property. 
Finally  a  serious  rebellion  of  some  of  the  people 
was  brought  about  against  the  government,  by  a 
chief  who  was  joined  by  a  few  other  chiefs.  Nohaula 
was  never  accused,  in  any  way,  of  being  connected 
with  it;  was  old  and  feeble.  The  government  had 
given  him  a  white  flag.  The  English  soldiers  were 
passing  near.  He  went  to  his  door  and  waved  the 
flag.    One  of  them  shot  at  him,  badly  wounding  his 


NOHAULA  AND  UMASUKU  247 

ear.  He  fell  on  the  grass  and  they  did  not  shoot  at 
him  again. 

I  will  quote  a  few  extracts  from  a  letter  he  sent 
me  here  in  America.  "  Inkosazana,  I  am  well  in 
my  body  although  I  am  not  with  much  strength,  but 
in  the  way  of  the  Lord  I  am  truly  happy  all  the 
time.  I  love  to  dwell  in  His  strength  and  do  any- 
thing that  I  can  for  Him  while  I  live.  I  try  to  tell 
the  people  of  God  and  His  love  for  them,  but  my 
strength  is  small  and  not  sufficient  for  what  I  long 
to  do.  How  greatly  I  blame  myself  that  I  threw 
away  time  given  me  when  I  was  young  and  strong, 
and  then  turned  my  back  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  afterward  brought  me  in  mercy  to  Himself. 
Now  I  gladly  give  all  that  I  am  and  have  to  the 
Lord  and  beg  Him  to  forgive  and  strengthen  me  to 
work  for  Him.  We  are  still  alive,  but  there  is  much 
trouble  in  our  country.  We  are  sustained  by  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  I  was  saved  from  the  soldiers. 
My  ear  was  hit  by  a  bullet  while  I  was  standing 
near  my  door  with  the  white  flag  in  my  hand.  An 
English  soldier  shot  at  me.  I  am  too  old  to  run 
much  and  fell  in  the  grass.  They  did  not  shoot  at 
me  again.  Oh,  Inkosazana,  pray  for  our  country 
and  our  chiefs.  Do  not  forget  us  though  you  are 
far  away.  If  you  could  only  come  back  to  us !  We 
need  you  and  remember  you  always." 

Once  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Fernie  was  preaching  at 
a  large  sunrise  meeting  in  our  church,  I  noticed  in 
the  audience  a  middle-aged  intelligent  Zulu  man, 
whom  I  had  not  before  seen.  He  appeared  to  be 
much    interested    in    what    was    being    said.      The 


248       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

preacher  used  as  an  illustration  the  most  prized  of 
Zulu  war  weapon,  an  assagai.  He  spoke  of  the 
pains  a  man  took  to  keep  it  always  bright  and  quite 
free  from  spot  or  tarnish,  never  failing,  so  long  as 
he  was  able,  to  give  it  proper  care,  and  at  his  death 
his  eldest  son  received  it  to  keep  and  care  for  as 
his  father  had  taught  him.  Said  the  speaker,  "  While 
so  much  attention  is  given  a  lifeless  object,  why  does 
a  person  not  care  for  his  soul,  which  is  of  such 
great  value  and  can  live  forever,  is  his  very  self, 
that  thinks  and  knows  and  understands?  A  man's 
soul  is  given  to  him  by  the  great  God,  to  care  for 
and  keep  untarnished,  yet  he  will  allow  it  to  become 
spotted  and  corrupted  by  evil  thoughts  and  ways 
that  he  does  not  try  to  remove.  He  remembers  to 
keep  his  assagai  bright,  and  forgets  his  soul. 

"  Life  here  may  be  short,  but  this  is  not  the  end ; 
there  is  another  land,  the  land  of  peace  and  joy,  the 
home  of  God,  where  all  may  live  whose  souls  have 
been  made  pure  by  following  and  trusting  the  great 
Guide  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  He  came  from 
heaven  to  earth  to  show  the  way  so  that  all  who  will 
may  find  it.  This  book.  His  book,  tells  us  about  it. 
Come,  come,  and  learn  of  Him  to  care  for  your 
souls."  When  the  meeting  closed  I  hastened  down 
the  aisle  to  see  and  speak  with  the  stranger  who 
had  seemed  so  interested.  He  said  he  was  very  glad 
to  hear  the  sermon  and  would  come  again.  He  spoke 
of  his  soul  and  wished  the  tarnish  could  be  removed, 
as  he  was  tired  of  sin  and  heathenism. 

He  came  to  church  once,  after  that,  then  a  long 
time  passed  before  I  saw  him  again.     I  did  not  re- 


NOHAULA  AND  UMASUKU  249 

member  his  name,  or  know  just  the  place  where  his 
kraal  was,  although  I  knew  the  direction  and  that 
it  was  four  or  five  miles  away.    One  day  I  had  been 
to  a  kraal  meeting  a  few  miles  from  us,  when  re- 
turning in  my  wagonette  we   saw  several  heathen 
women  come  out  of  a  wooded  kloof  near  the  road. 
They  had  heavy,  long  bundles  of  small  sticks  of  fire- 
wood, bound  together,  which  they  earned  on  their 
heads.     We  were  going  up  a  hill  and  they  hastened 
to   overtake   us.     We   stopped   to   talk   with   them. 
One,  as  she  came  panting  up  with  her  load    said 
-Why  do  you  not  have  a  meeting  at  our  kraal. 
We  see  you  going  to  many  places,  but  you  do  not 
come  to  us.      My   husband   is  very   ill    he   great  y 
wishes  to  see  you ;  will  you  not  come  ?       She  showed 
me  where  they  lived.  I  said,  ''  The  hill  is  so  steep  and 
long  to  get  up  to  your  place  I  could  not  go  with  my 
wagonette,  and  it  is  too  hard  for  me  to  walk  ther 
while  the  weather  is  hot;  but  when  it  is  cooler  I  will 
ride  to  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  then  walk  to  see  you, 
your  husband,  and  others  at  your  home."   It  was  not 
long  before  there  was  a  cool  day  when  Miss  Mc- 
Cornack  and  I   could  go  to  see   them.     I   did  not 
know  that  I  had  ever  seen  the  sick  man,  although 
his  wife  said  he  had  been  to  church  before  he  was 
ill  and  had  seen  me. 

When  we  reached  the  kraal,  they  took  us  to  a 
large,  well-built,  neatly-kept  hut;  the  sick  man  was 
on  a  mat  with  nice  blankets  over  him.  He  looked 
very  ill  and  emaciated,  but  I  recognized  him  as  the 
man  who  seemed  so  interested  when  Mr.  Fernie 
used  the  illustration  about  the  care  of  an  assagai. 


250       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

Although  looking  very  ill,  he  was  perfectly  con- 
scious and  his  intelligent  face  was  almost  radiant  as 
he  welcomed  us  and  began  to  ask  that  we  tell  him 
more  about  Jesus.  He  said,  "  A  long  time  ago  I 
heard  about  Him,  when  Mr.  Tyler  lived  at  Esidum- 
bini,  I  knew  that  what  I  heard  must  be  true,  but  I 
drifted  back  into  heathen  ways  and  let  the  spots  of 
sin  grow  larger  and  larger  on  my  soul,  but  I  did  not 
forget  what  I  learned  at  the  station  and  many  times 
have  been  troubled  when  I  remembered  how  far  I 
was  living  from  God  and  His  light.  Then  I  heard 
that  wonderful  sermon  about  the  assagai  and  the 
'  uvalo '  of  my  heart  became  great  with  sorrow 
and  the  desire  to  find  the  Saviour.  My  disease  in- 
creased so  that  I  could  not  go  to  church ;  my  strength 
grew  less  and  less  until  I  am  as  you  see  me.  I 
hoped  you  would  come  here,  when  I  heard  you  went 
to  other  kraals,  but  you  did  not.  Now  you  have 
come,  oh  tell  me  of  God  and  of  His  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  coming  into  the  world.  Please  read  from 
His  book  and  pray  to  Him  for  me,  that  the  tarnish 
of  my  soul  may  be  taken  away." 

His  active,  eager  mind  made  it  not  difficult  to 
explain  the  truth  and  read  to  him.  He  seemed  to 
comprehend  and  grasp  every  word.  When  I  ex- 
pressed the  fear  that  he  was  tired,  he  insisted  he  was 
not  and  would  not  be  if  I  talked  till  the  sun  went 
down.  That  day  stands  out  in  my  memory  with  the 
brightest  ones  of  my  African  life.  His  grown-up 
married  sons  took  care  of  him  and  seemed  to  antici- 
pate every  wish  of  their  father.  They,  with  the 
heathen  wives  of  the  sick  man,  eagerly  listened  as 


NOHAULA  AND  UMASUKU  251 

we  talked  and  heard  him  say  he  was  sorry  to  have 
turned  away  from  God  and  Hved  a  useless  heathen 
life ;  how  he  greatly  desired  that  his  wives  and  chil- 
dren should  become  Christians,  and  a  school-house 
be  built  in  that  neighbourhood,  so  the  children  could 
be  taught,  and  services  held  on  Sunday.  His  name 
was  Umasuku. 

I  went  to  see  him  two  or  three  times.  He  had 
Bright's  disease  and  lingered  for  several  weeks,  often 
in  great  pain,  which  we  could  do  little  to  relieve.  Mr. 
Fernie  was  able  to  pay  us  a  short  visit  and  go  to 
see  him.  The  native  pastor,  too,  went  a  number  of 
times.  The  sick  man  greatly  appreciated  such  visits. 
His  earnest  faith  in  the  Saviour,  who  could  remove 
the  tarnish  from  his  soul  and  give  him  peace,  joy, 
and  forgiveness,  was  very  real  to  him  as  the  bread 
of  life  which  alone  could  satisfy  his  hunger.  He 
often  urged  his  family  and  friends  to  become  Chris- 
tians and  build  a  school-house.  He  bore  his  pain 
patiently  to  the  last  and  died  a  peaceful,  trustful 
death. 

His  sons  came  to  ask  me  how  the  funeral  should 
be  conducted ;  they  did  not  wish  to  have  any  heathen 
rites,  and  begged  me  to  say  just  how  I  would  like 
to  have  it  arranged.  It  took  place  next  day,  not  far 
from  his  former  home.  A  coffin  had  been  procured 
from  some  distance ;  when  it  was  Ibwered  into  the 
well-dug  grave  they  put  in  a  few  things,  according 
to  their  ancient  custom,  as  I  had  before  told  them  to 
do  if  they  wished.  I  noticed  one  old  heathen  wife 
quietly  moaning  off  by  herself  because  they  would 
not  let  her  put  in  a  garment  that  he  had  worn.     I 


252       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

told  her  to  bring  it  and  we  saw  that  she  put  it  in. 
A  very  large  number  of  people,  mostly  heathen, 
gathered  at  the  grave,  where  the  native  pastor,  Mr. 
Sivetye,  conducted  the  services  and  preached  an 
excellent  sermon.  Some  of  the  Christian  people 
were  present  and  sang  two  or  three  hymns.  It  was 
a  bright,  pleasant  day,  and  I  can  still  remember  the 
extensive  view  from  that  hill  top,  with  the  many 
heathen  kraals  to  be  seen,  where  little  was  known 
of  the  Gospel  which  had  given  such  comfort  and  hope 
to  the  man  whose  body  we  were  laying  to  rest.  We 
prayed  that  the  light  which  had  come  to  him  might 
shine  in  the  hearts  of  many  who  stood  about  that 
grave.  The  family  and  friends  appeared  to  appre- 
ciate the  Christian  funeral,  and  expressed  much 
gratitude  to  us  for  all  we  had  done  to  help  them. 

The  school-house  was  built  in  that  neighbourhood, 
services  were  held,  and  the  children  taught.  Some 
of  the  family  became  Christians  before  I  returned 
to  America,  and  I  trust  others  of  them  also  have 
found  the  Light  that  does  not  fail. 


XXII 
THE    LEADER   OF   THE    CHOIR 

WHEN  I  was  living  at  Umvoti,  a  somewhat 
civilized  man  came  to  see  me,  bringing  his 
little  son,  then  about  seven  years  of  age. 
The  father  did  not  look  well,  and  the  child  seemed 
delicate,  but  had  a  very  nice,  interesting  face.  I 
knew  them  and  the  mother,  who  was  a  Christian, 
and  at  that  time  ill  with  consumption.  The  father 
said  that  he,  the  mother,  and  the  boy  had  together 
talked  it  over  and  all  wished  me  to  take  him  to  live 
at  the  Mission  Home,  so  that  he  could  be  cared  for, 
taught,  and  learn  what  was  right.  Then  taking  his 
hand,  he  put  it  into  mine  and  begged  me  to  keep 
him.  For  a  long  time  I  had  been  interested  in  the 
child,  and  so  said  he  might  stay. 

Their  home  was  not  far  away  and  he  could  often 
go  to  see  his  mother.  She  did  not  live  long  after 
that,  but  when  I  saw  her  expressed  much  gratitude 
that  I  had  taken  her  little  son  and  would  care  for 
him.  She  was  a  quiet,  gentle  woman,  and  had  tried 
to  live  a  Christian  life,  although  sickness,  poverty, 
and  other  things  had  been  a  heavy  burden  for  her. 

One  of  my  Bible  women,  Tetise,  was  a  distant 
relative  of  hers,  and  had  been  a  comfort  and  guide 
to  her.  The  father  also  died,  not  more  than  a  year 
or  two  after  the  mother's  death,  so  the  little  boy, 

253 


254       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

whose  name  was  "  Ngazana,"  had  no  one  to  care 
for  him  but  myself. 

In  school  he  was  quick  to  learn,  yet  was  strangely 
quiet  and  talked  very  little.  His  eyes  were  bright, 
but  at  times  he  seemed  to  have  a  dreamy,  far-away 
look,  which  I  could  not  understand,  although  I  felt 
quite  sure  that  he  was  contented  and  happy.  I  asked 
friends,  who  had  known  him  from  a  child,  why  he 
was  so  quiet,  talked  so  little,  and  did  not  care  to 
play  with  the  other  children.  They  said,  "  He  is 
not  strong,  and  it  is  just  his  way."  I  never  remember 
hearing  him  sing  with  others,  or  alone,  until  he  was 
quite  a  large  boy.  I  was  at  the  sea  beach  for  a  few 
days  and  took  him  with  me,  to  help  the  girl  in  the 
kitchen.  He  was  very  much  pleased  to  go,  and  ready 
to  do  all  that  was  required  of  him. 

When  the  work  was  done,  he  would  go  to  the 
beach  and  lie  on  the  sand,  watching  the  waves  and 
sky.  I  now  think  it  was  the  music  of  the  sea,  which, 
at  such  times,  often  made  the  dreamy,  far-away  look 
come  into  his  eyes.  One  day  I  said  to  him,  "  Nga- 
zana,  what  are  you  thinking  about  when  you  lie 
here  half  dreaming,  alone?"  He  sat  up,  smiled,  as 
a  bright,  happy  look  came  into  his  face,  and  said, 
"  Oh,  Inkosazana,  nothing,  just  nothing,  I  cannot 
tell.  I  do  not  know.  I  do  not  know  how  to  tell." 
Again  and  again  I  would  ask  him  something  like 
that,  and  he  would  give  much  the  same  answer.  I 
knew  he  was  intelligent  and  getting  on  fast  in  his 
books,  but  he  puzzled  me  greatly. 

He  had  a  gentle,  kind  disposition.  When  about 
twelve  years  of  age,   he  talked   more   and   seemed 


THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR       255 

stronger,  but  was  not  yet  very  robust.  He  began  to 
develop  a  sweet  voice  for  singing.  Soon  he  could 
read  music,  and  his  voice  steadily  improved.  When 
about  fifteen,  he  had  made  such  progress  at  the 
Station  Day  School,  I  decided  to  send  him  to  the 
Boys'  Training  School  of  our  Mission,  at  Aman- 
zimtoti.  There,  he  soon  won  the  love  of  the  teachers 
and  pupils.  He  became  more  sociable,  and  made 
rapid  progress  in  music,  as  well  as  in  other  studies. 

After  a  few  years  he  taught,  and  earned  money 
to  continue  his  studies,  then  finally  went  to  the 
Scotch  Mission  School  at  Lovedale,  which  is  about 
five  hundred  miles  from  Natal.  He  made  good  use 
of  all  those  opportunities. 

When  he  returned  home,  our  mission  employed 
him  to  teach  in  the  Boys'  Training  School.  Some 
time  before,  he  had  united  with  the  church,  and  his 
Christian  influence  over  the  boys  was  good  and  help- 
ful. Besides,  he  was  an  excellent  teacher  in  that 
school,  which  is  one  of  the  best  in  South  Africa,  for 
the  Zulus.  His  voice  and  taste  in  music  continued 
to  develop,  with  the  culture  which  he  received,  so 
it  was  very  apparent  to  us  all  that  he  had  more  than 
an  ordinary  gift  in  music,  as  well  as  the  gift  of  teach- 
ing it  to  others. 

In  191 1,  the  seventy-fifth  anniversary  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board's  Mission  to  South  Africa,  was  celebrated 
in  Natal.  It  wss  a  great  event,  not  only  for  mis- 
sionaries and  natives,  but  many  English  friends  and 
officials  helped  to  carry  out  the  programme.  Large 
meetings  were  held  at  Inanda  and  other  mission 
stations,  when  thousands  of  Christian  natives  assem- 


256       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

bled  and  took  part  in  the  various  exercises,  with 
missionaries  of  other  societies,  as  well  as  our  own. 

An  exhibition  was  held  in  Durban,  the  seaport  town 
of  Natal,  where  the  work  of  uncivilized  natives  was 
shown,  which  came  from  many  parts  of  South 
Africa ;  much  of  it  being  rare,  finely  done,  and  very 
interesting  to  see.  At  the  same  time,  there  was  an 
exhibition  of  the  industrial  and  educational  work  of 
the  Christian  natives,  and  copies  of  the  many  books 
published  in  Zulu  and  other  South  African  languages, 
by  various  societies  and  our  own,  all  of  which 
astonished  those  who,  before  then,  had  known  very 
little  of  what  is  being  done  at  mission  schools  and 
stations,  of  carpentry,  cabinet  and  shoemaking,  tailor- 
ing, dressmaking,  fancy  work,  laundry,  housework, 
agriculture,  gardening,  tree  planting,  building,  as  well 
as  preaching  and  teaching  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
A  school  with  its  teacher,  was  also  one  of  the  ex- 
hibits. The  exhibition  was  kept  open  the  third  day, 
at  the  urgent  request  of  many  Europeans  in  the 
city. 

The  greatest  event  of  the  anniversary  was  the  pub- 
lic meeting  in  the  town  hall,  when  the  Governor-Gen- 
eral of  South  Africa,  Lord  Gladstone,  the  son  of  the 
former  Premier  of  England,  came  up  from  Cape 
Town,  a  thousand  miles,  to  Natal,  and  was  chairman 
of  that  meeting.  He  was  supported  on  the  platform 
by  Senators,  Members  of  Parliament,  officers  of  the 
municipality,  ministers,  and  missionaries,  while  the 
great  choir  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  native  young 
men  and  women  made  a  solid  bank  of  black  faces 
in  the  orchestra  at  the  back  of  the  platform.     The 


THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR       257 

girls  were  dressed  in  white,  with  a  Httle  pink  or 
blue  at  waist  and  neck,  and  the  boys  wore  black 
suits.  The  leader  of  that  great  orchestra  was  Mr. 
Ngazana  Lutule,  the  quiet  little  Zulu  boy,  who,  years 
before,  loved  to  lie  half  dreaming  on  the  seashore, 
listening  to  the  waves.  He  had  trained  this  choir, 
going  from  station  to  station,  long  distances  from 
each  other,  and  never  having  it  together  in  Durban 
only  two  or  three  days  before  the  meeting. 

The  town  hall  is  a  large,  beautiful  building, 
which  cost  £350,000  or  $1,750,000.  Before 
the  hour  set  for  the  meeting  the  doors  of  the 
auditorium  had  to  be  closed,  as  every  seat  of  the 
three  thousand  was  occupied,  mostly  by  white  peo- 
ple, while  hundreds  were  standing.  (I  quote  from 
newspapers,  letters,  reports,  etc.)  The  meeting 
opened  with  the  singing  of  "  Crown  Him,"  to  the 
tune  of  ''  Diadem,"  and  from  the  first  the  choir 
captivated  the  vast  audience.  Responsive  to  every 
movement  of  the  baton,  they  sang  with  magnificent 
time,  power,  and  expression.  The  perfect  control 
of  the  conductor  over  them  was  really  wonderful. 

Before  any  speeches,  a  committee  of  native  minis- 
ters, in  the  name  of  sixty  thousand  Christian  natives, 
presented  to  His  Excellency,  the  Governor-General, 
a  splendidly  illuminated  address,  expressing  their 
loyalty  to  the  King  of  England,  and  their  apprecia- 
tion of  what  had  been  done  for  them  by  the  govern- 
ment and  by  the  missionaries ;  after  which  the  choir 
gave  the  Zulu  salute,  ''  Bayete." 

The  Governor-General,  the  Bishop  of  Natal,  Dr. 
Patton,   from   the   Board  in   Boston,  and   the   Rev. 


258       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

John  Dube,  a  Zulu  pastor  (who  spoke  in  excellent 
English),  all  gave  fine  addresses.  The  speeches  were 
interspersed  with  selections  from  the  choir,  most 
beautifully  rendered.  The  enthusiasm  of  the  audi- 
ence had  grown,  as  one  selection  after  another  was 
sung,  and,  although  many  were  unable  to  get  seats 
and  had  stood  through  the  evening,  yet  scarcely 
one  could  be  induced  to  leave,  until  the  last  number 
was  given.  Just  before  the  close  and  "  God  Save  the 
King,"  they  sang  two  selections  so  finely,  "  Trust  Ye 
in  the  Mighty  God,"  and,  "  Who  Are  These  in  White 
Array?"  that  there  was  scarcely  a  dry  eye  in  the 
room.  Lord  Gladstone,  before  leaving  the  platform, 
shook  hands  with  the  director,  expressing  most  hearty 
thanks  and  appreciation  of  what  the  choir  had  ac- 
complished under  his  direction. 


XXIII 
RETURN  TO  AMERICA 

ABOUT  the  time  that  we  had  such  serious  ill- 
ness at  Esidumbini,  Miss  Laura  Mellen  was 
on  her  way  to  join  our  mission.  When 
reaching  Natal  she  was  appointed  to  Esidumbini. 
Her  parents  having  been  missionaries  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  to  the  Zulus,  in  former  years,  she  was 
born  in  South  Africa,  but  had  been  away  from  the 
country,  in  America,  more  than  twenty  years,  and 
needed  to  study  the  language.  However,  she  kindly 
consented  to  go  with  Miss  Crocker  to  Esidumbini 
and  there  study  and  help  in  the  work  as  she  could. 
It  was  a  great  comfort  that  these  ladies  were  willing 
to  do  that,  as  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  be  away 
from  the  station  for  some  time.  When  I  did  return, 
although  improved  in  health,  my  strength  and  nerves 
were  unable  to  bear  the  strain  of  work  and  care  as 
before.  I  remained  about  two  years  longer,  and 
then,  deeply  regretting  to  do  so,  felt  compelled  to 
give  up  the  work  and  return  to  America. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  were  going  home  for 
their  first  furlough.  They  came  down  to  Natal,  and 
we  went  together,  by  way  of  the  East  Coast.  At 
that  time  there  was  a  fine  line  of  German  steamers, 
as  well  as  one  or  two  other  lines,  on  that  coast.    For 

259 


2G0       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

a  number  of  years  after  I  went  to  Africa,  there 
were  no  regular  steamers  going  that  way. 

We  took  a  German  ship  and  were  four  weeks  from 
Natal  to  Port  Said,  as  we  stopped  a  number  of  tim.es 
at  interesting,  and  to  me,  new  places,  to  take  on  cargo. 
We  were  three  days  at  Zanzibar,  taking  on  tons  of 
cloves,  ivory,  rubber,  and  other  exports. 

As  our  ship  neared  that  strange  old  Mohammedan 
city  of  200,000  people,  which  is  built  on  an  island, 
it  looked  like  a  fairy-land  in  the  bright  sunlight, 
which,  reflecting  on  the  water,  made  brilliant  tints 
from  the  seaweed  and  corals  in  the  bay. 

Miles  of  the  streets  are  very  narrow,  not  wide 
enough  for  a  carriage ;  the  houses  are  close  together 
and  high,  so  that  glimpses  of  the  sky  can  only  be 
seen  far  above  you.  It  is  interesting  to  visit  the 
shops ;  they  are  so  small  you  do  not  often  go  in,  but 
stand  outside  at  the  window,  the  sill  serving  as  a 
counter. 

One  must  have  a  guide  in  going  about,  or  soon  be 
lost  in  the  labyrinth  of  narrow  streets.  At  the  wharf 
were  a  number  of  men  and  boys,  ready  for  a  job. 
They  could  not  speak  much  English,  or  other  lan- 
guage than  Arabic ;  but  they  all  had  foreign  names, 
such  as  King  Edward,  Kaiser,  George  Washington, 
and  many  others.     We  took  George  Washington. 

There  is  a  very  fine  and  well-equipped  English  hos- 
pital, with  an  English  mission  church  near,  that  are 
built  on  the  ground  where  the  old  slave  market  used 
to  be,  when  slaves  were  sold  and  shipped  to  America. 
The  hospital  is  high,  and  so  built  that  there  is  an  open 
space  of  four  or  five  feet  between  the  outer  wall 


RETURN  TO  AMERICA  261 

and  the  roof,  which  makes  a  cooler  and  more  sightly 
place  for  some  of  the  living  rooms.  A  number  of 
offices  and  European  buildings  were  built  in  that 
way,  as  also  the  Sultan's  palace.  One  would  think 
the  roofs  might  easily  be  blown  off,  but  we  were  told 
they  were  not;  although  only  a  short  time  before, 
the  roof  of  the  Sultan's  palace  had  been  partly 
blown  off  by  English  guns,  because  he  would  not 
keep  the  agreement  made  with  that  government. 

He  was  an  exile  in  German  East  Africa,  and,  when 
our  ship  was  at  anchor  at  Dar-es-Salaam,  he  came 
off  to  it  to  attend  a  "  hop  "  given  one  evening  on  the 
deck.  There  he  sat,  beautifully  robed  in  his  flow- 
ing garments,  decked  with  costly  jewels,  never 
smiling  and  scarcely  moving  or  speaking  all  the 
evening. 

In  a  corner  where  two  of  the  less  narrow  streets 
met  and  the  houses  were  not  quite  so  near  and  loft>', 
was  a  little  Mohammedan  school  of  fifteen  or  twenty 
children,  with  their  white-robed  teacher,  all  right  in 
that  corner  of  the  street.  He  had  a  long  stick  which 
he  used  a  good  deal  in  his  zeal  to  show  off  his  pupils 
to  us.  They  all  seemed  to  be  reading  aloud  at  the 
same  time,  and  if  one  stopped,  the  stick  reminded 
him  to  go  on.  A  few  had  small  books,  parts  of  tlie 
Koran,  which  they  were  reading,  others  had  cards, 
while  quite  a  number  held  in  their  hands  the  flat 
shoulder  blade  of  an  ox  or  cow.  on  which  their  les- 
son was  printed.  On  such  tablets,  tradition  says, 
Mohammed  first  wrote  parts  of  the  Koran. 

From  Natal,  until  we  reached  the  Red  Sea,  no 
heavier  covering  than  a  cotton  sheet  was  required 


262       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

for  the  bed.  We  were  twelve  hours  going  through 
the  Suez  Canal.  The  charge  for  toll  on  our  large 
steamer  was  much  greater  than  we  had  supposed 
was  ever  paid  for  any  ship  passing  through,  even  if 
much  larger  than  ours. 

We  found  we  could  leave  our  luggage  at  Port 
Said  and  stop  over  a  steamer,  without  extra  expense 
from  the  voyage  on  to  Naples.  We  did  so,  and  went 
to  Palestine.  It  was  only  a  few  hours'  journey  by 
steamer  to  Joppa ;  from  there  we  proceeded  by  rail 
to  Jerusalem.  The  weather  was  very  chilly  and  the 
stone  houses  cold,  with  little  means  of  warming 
them.  There  was  a  slight  fall  of  snow,  it  being  the 
month  of  February.  I  felt  the  sudden  change  of 
weather  greatly,  and  was  obliged  to  stay  in  bed 
some  days,  when  the  others  were  sightseeing.  But 
there  were  warmer  days,  and  when  better,  I  went 
with  our  party  to  see  much  that  is  there  to  see  and 
enjoy. 

We  journeyed  up  the  coast  by  steamer,  stopping 
off  at  Haifa  to  visit  Galilee;  then  returned  and 
took  another  steamer  to  Beirout,  where  we  greatly 
enjoyed  meeting  the  American  missionaries,  seeing 
something  of  the  work  of  the  Presbyterian  Board 
there  and  that  wonderful  Beirout  College,  which  was 
opened  in  1866  as  a  Christian  interdenominational 
institution  and  has  seven  departments.  The  instruc- 
tion and  administration  corps  numbers  eighty  people, 
of  whom  forty  are  American  professors.  Its  two 
thousand  graduates  occupy  positions  of  influence  as 
civil  and  military  physicians  and  pharmacists,  physi- 
cians of  military  and  general  hospitals,  judges,  teach- 


RETURN  TO  AMERICA  263 

ers,  preachers,  educators,  authors  and  merchants.  By 
rail  we  went  to  Damascus.  On  the  way,  in  the  higher 
altitude,  we  found  quite  deep  snow.  I  think  I  never 
felt  the  cold  more  than  I  did  at  Jerusalem  and 
Damascus.  Not  that  the  temperature  was  so  ex- 
tremely low,  but  there  was  a  strange  chill  in  the 
air,  which  one  felt  to  his  very  bones,  in  the  un- 
healed houses.  We  returned  to  Beirout  and  took 
a  steamer  to  Port  Said,  where  we  met  our  ship,  which 
took  us  on  to  Naples. 

After  spending  ten  days  there  and  at  Rome,  where 
Dr.  Thompson  took  most  of  his  time  to  see  and 
consult  with  Dr.  Grassi,  who  has  done  so  much  to 
find  out  the  relation  of  mosquitoes  to  malaria,  we 
took  a  steamer  direct  from  Naples  tO'  New  York, 
crossing  our  former  line  of  travel  on  the  West  coast 
and  so  completing  the  circuit  of  Africa. 

When  I  left  Natal,  Miss  Mellen  had  made  good 
progress  in  the  Zulu  language  and  gained  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  work.  She  and  Miss  Crocker  continued 
at  Esidumbini  the  rest  of  the  year,  when  they  went 
to  another  part  of  the  field.  Since  then  three  mis- 
sionaries and  their  wives  have,  at  different  times, 
been  stationed  there  for  longer  or  shorter  periods. 

Mr.  Sivetye  remained  at  the  station  for  a  number 
of  years,  then  accepted  a  call  to  another  station  of 
our  mission.  About  two  years  after  that  he  died  of 
pneumonia.  To  the  last  he  remained  a  loyal  and 
faithful  servant  in  the  Master's  vineyard,  a  wise 
counsellor,  a  true  friend,  and  a  peacemaker,  when- 
ever it  was  possible  for  him  to  be  so  and  maintain 
that  which  was  just  and  right.    His  death  was  deeply 


264       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

mourned  in  the  mission  and  by  many  who  knew  him. 

After  I  came  to  America,  as  long  as  he  was  able 
to  write,  he  sent  me  frequent  and  very  interesting 
letters,  telling  much  that  he  knew  I  would  be  glad 
to  hear  in  regard  to  the  people  and  work.  The  ladies 
at  Inanda  and  others  of  our  missionaries,  have  been 
most  kind  in  writing  to  me,  yet  they  cannot  keep 
track  of  the  people  at  Umvoti  and  Esidumbini  to  tell 
me  of  them  as  he  used  to.  I  miss  his  letters  very 
much.  When  dying  his  last  words  were,  "  For  me 
to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain." 

There  have  been  a  great  many  changes  in  the  mis- 
sion, with  trying  hindrances  from  various  sources, 
yet  there  is  a  steady  growth  in  adherents,  evangelistic 
work,  and  education. 

From  the  first,  as  soon  as  a  station  was  started 
by  the  mission,  a  day  school  was  commenced.  All 
such  schools  are  now  taught  by  natives.  A  boys' 
training  school  was  begun  at  Amanzimtoti,  in  1853, 
with  Rev.  D.  Rood  in  charge.  That  school  has  de- 
veloped into  a  fine  commodious  and  practical  institu- 
tion that  is  doing  untold  good  in  the  country  under 
the  supervision  of  Rev.  A.  E.  LeRoy. 

The  Girls'  Boarding  School  opened  in  1869,  at 
Inanda,  by  Mrs.  Mary  K.  Edwards,  who,  as  before 
stated,  was  the  first  lady  to  be  sent  to  any  field  by 
the  Women's  Board  of  our  society.  Inanda  Semi- 
nary is  now  the  largest  and  highest  graded  school 
for  Zulu  girls  in  South  Africa.  Many  of  those  girls 
have  become  teachers,  pastors'  wives,  and  eflficient 
helpers  in  many  parts  of  the  country.  Until  1916  the 
school  has  had  but  two  principals,  Mrs.  Edwards, 


MISS    FIDELIA    PHELPS 


RETURN  TO  AMERICA  265 

who  is  still  living  at  Inanda,  eighty-seven  years  of 
age,  and  Miss  Fidelia  Phelps,  who  has  been  in  the 
school  for  over  thirty  years,  and  its  efficient  principal 
for  more  than  twenty.  Miss  Martha  E.  Price  for 
nearly  forty  years  has  been  an  able  and  devoted 
assistant  in  the  school ;  others  also  have  taught  and 
greatly  aided  in  the  work  there. 

Miss  Evelyn  Clark  is  the  present  principal.  Mrs. 
Edwards,  while  feeble  in  body,  is  still  active  in  mind, 
with  continued  interest  in  the  work.  She  has  visited 
America  but  once  since  she  first  went  to  Africa. 
After  withdrawing  from  the  principalship  of  the 
school,  she  has,  while  taking  some  classes,  devoted 
much  of  her  time  to  the  agricultural  department  and 
tree  planting.  Under  her  supervision  the  girls  of  the 
school  have  planted  many  acres  of  wattle  trees,  which 
now  supply  the  needed  firewood  for  the  institution; 
while  orange,  banana,  and  various  fruit  trees,  with 
the  fields  of  corn,  potatoes,  beans,  and  other  vegeta- 
bles, aid  much  in  the  support  of  the  seminary.  At 
Umzumbe  there  has  been  a  smaller  boarding  school 
for  girls,  since  1873;  now  under  the  supervision 
of  Rev.  and  Mrs.  G.  B.  Cowles.  Industries  are 
taught  at  all  the  boarding  schools,  for  both  boys  and 
girls,  in  connection  with  other  studies. 

The  Theological  Department  of  the  school  at 
Amanzimtoti  was  kept  there  for  many  years ;  but 
has  now  been  removed  to  Impolweni,  a  station  of  the 
Scotch  Presbyterian  Church,  where  our  mission  unite 
with  that  society  in  this  department  of  work  and  they 
with  ours  in  the  Boys'  Seminary  at  Amanzimtoti. 

At  the  latter  place  our  mission  also  has  a  growing 


266       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

Normal  School  which  is  sending  out  well-trained 
native  young  men  and  women  with  certificates  from 
the  government  as  teachers  for  the  various  Zulu 
schools.  The  English  government  give  grants  to 
aid  in  supporting  the  boarding  schools  and  graded 
day  schools.  All  are  under  the  supervision  of  a 
specially  appointed  government  inspector,  who  is  a 
member  of  our  own  mission.  In  connection  with 
extensive  work  for  the  natives,  by  our  Society  in 
Durban,  the  seaport  town  of  Natal,  there  is  also 
tinder  the  able  supervision  of  J.  B.  McCord,  M.  D., 
a  medical  department  and  hospital  which  has  a  broad 
and  most  beneficial  influence,  not  only  there,  but 
throughout  the  entire  mission. 

From  a  letter  of  recent  date,  written  by  one  of  the 
Zulu  mission,  I  quote  a  few  extracts : 

"  Our  American  Board  missions  are  strategically 
located  and  doing  a  splendid  work.  Their  great  school 
system  is  reaching  out  to  its  thousands.  The  Normal 
Training  School  cannot  supply  enough  teachers  for 
the  demand.  The  same  is  true  of  the  Theological 
School.  There  is  a  great  need  for  native  ordained 
pastors.  This  need  is  partially  traceable  to  the  lack  of 
adequate  missionary  supervision.  The  work  is  too 
large  for  the  missionaries  on  the  field.  The  call  has 
been  so  great  they  have  spread  themselves  over  a 
greater  territory  than  they  can  overlook,  unless  the 
mission  is  reinforced.  At  present  they  are  compelled 
to  leave  unlooked  after  and  undone  that  which  would 
greatly  add  to  the  growth  and  spiritual  strength  of 
the  work." 

Fields    opened    up    by   our   mission    in    Durban, 


RETURN  TO  AMERICA  267 

Johannesburg,  Pretoria,  Zululand,  Rhodesia,  Beira, 
and  other  places,  have  now  grown  into  substantial 
and  far-reaching  centres  of  mission  work. 

Dr.  F.  B.  Bridgeman,  in  charge  of  the  Johannes- 
burg field,  and  who  has  been  called  to  America  this 
year  to  aid  in  the  campaign  of  the  Laymen's  Mis- 
sionary Movement,  says : 

"  The  story  of  the  Transvaal  gold  fields  reads  like 
fiction.  Only  thirty  years  ago  a  typical  Boer  in 
Johannesburg,  discovered  that  the  rocky  ledges  which 
crop  up  here  and  there  in  those  rolling  uplands  con- 
tained gold.  At  that  time  thousands  of  acres  could 
be  purchased  for  the  value  of  seven  or  eight  yoke  of 
oxen.  To-day  this  land  is  sold  by  the  foot,  as  in 
New  York  or  Chicago.  Where  roamed  herds  of 
antelope,  there  has  arisen  a  modem  city.  In  the 
background,  stretching  thirty  miles  east  and  thirty 
miles  west,  there  are  the  mines,  marked  by  belching 
smokestacks  and  the  pyramidal  mounds  of  '  tailings  ' 
(waste  rock)  glistening  in  the  sunlight.  The  effect 
of  the  war  has  been  to  stimulate  the  gold  industry. 
The  mines  are  now  yielding  $15,000,000  each  month 
for  the  replenishment  of  Britain's  war  chest.  Forty 
per  cent,  of  the  world's  gold  comes  from  this  region. 
Greater  Johannesburg,  popularly  called  '  The  Rand,' 
with  its  nearly  half-million  inhabitants,  is  one  of 
the  most  cosmopolitan  cities  of  the  empire.  The 
Golden  City  is  not  only  the  financial,  industrial,  and 
political  hub  of  South  Africa,  but  also  its  storm 
centre. 

"  While  the  world's  greatest  gold  field  has  been 
developed  by  the;  white  man's  brains,  capital,  and 


268       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

energy,  yet  these  mines  would  have  been  a  hopeless 
proposition  except  for  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the 
black  man.  Cheap  labour  was  an  absolute  necessity 
if  gold  was  to  be  extracted  on  a  paying  basis.  Hence 
it  is  that  nearly  300,000  Africans  have  been  drawn 
to  the  great  industrial  centre  of  Johannesburg.  These 
natives  come  from  every  point  of  the  compass — 
from  a  thousand  miles  south,  another  thousand  miles 
north  right  up  to  Lake  Nyassa,  eastward  as  far  as 
the  Indian  Ocean,  and  westward  as  far  as  the  At- 
lantic. These  labourers  work  for  a  term  of  from 
six  to  twelve  months,  so  that  in  the  course  of  a  year 
about  half  a  million  blacks  come  under  the  spell  of 
Johannesburg.  Sooner  or  later  they  all  return  to  the 
distant  village  or  kraal  located  in  unknown  wilds. 
But  let  this  be  pondered,  namely,  that  no  native  who 
visits  Johannesburg  ever  goes  back  to  his  home  the 
same  man  that  he  was.  Those  months  in  the  strange 
surroundings  of  city  and  mines  have  proved  an  edu- 
cation. The  question  is,  What  lessons  has  he  been 
learning  and  who  are  the  teachers? 

"  Johannesburg  presents  a  unique  and  fascinating 
opportunity  for  the  rapid,  widespread  extension  of 
the  Kingdom  in  Africa.  The  manhood  of  thirty  tribes 
was  not  brought  to  the  gold  fields  for  its  confusion 
and  further  debauchery.  If  the  Church  accepts  the 
magnificent  challenge,  Babel  will  be  turned  into 
Pentecost;  these  tens  of  thousands  will  each  year 
scatter  to  their  distant  kraals,  not  emissaries  of  foul 
habit  and  loathsome  disease,  but  heralds  of  life  and 
light.    That  this  hope  is  no  idle  fancy  is  abundantly 


RETURN  TO  AMERICA  269 

proved  by  what  missions  have  already  accomplished 
at  this  strategic  centre." 

I  will  now  briefly  mention  the  work  of  other  so- 
cieties in  South  Africa : 

The  Rev.  John  Dube  was  born  at  Inanda  Mission 
Station,  his  father  being  the  first  native  pastor  there. 
The  son  was  educated  in  the  mission  and  America. 
Returning  to  his  native  land,  Natal,  he  started  the 
Ohlanga  Industrial  School.  It  has  prospered  under 
his  supervision  and  now  has  over  a  hundred  girls 
and  boys  to  be  trained  in  industries  and  other  studies. 
He  has  raised  money  to  erect  commodious  buildings 
for  the  institution,  which  is  also  aided  by  a  govern- 
ment grant,  and  is  showing  himself  an  efficient  and 
worthy  product  of  mission  work. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland  has  done 
and  is  still  doing  an  extensive  and  practical  work 
in  many  parts  of  South  Africa.  Their  stations  and 
evangelistic  work  in  Eastern  Cape  Colony  include 
Lovedale,  a  large  and  noted  boarding  school  of  five 
or  six  hundred  pupils,  native  young  men  and  girls 
from  various  tribes.  A  native  unsectarian  college 
has  been  opened  this  present  year,  1916,  not  far  from 
that  institution  and  in  sight  of  the  handsome  monu- 
ment recently  erected  in  memory  of  the  late  Dr. 
James  Stewart,  who  did  so  much  for  the  natives, 
and  who  is  so  widely  remembered  for  his  great  work 
as  an  educator  and  missionary  in  many  parts  of  the 
land. 

The  college  stands  on  a  beautiful  elevation  of  land 
where  once  was  an  old  fort.     There  many  battles 


270       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

in  bygone  days  have  been  fought  between  the  white 
and  the  coloured  people. 

The  English  government  gives  a  grant  in  aid  of 
the  college,  while  Europeans,  as  well  as  natives, 
have  made  large  contributions.  The  natives  from  a 
division  of  Cape  Colony  called  the  Transkein  alone 
gave  $50,000  the  day  it  was  opened  by  General 
Botha,  the  Prime  Minister  of  United  South  Africa, 
who,  at  a  great  gathering  at  that  place,  spoke  in 
most  appreciative  terms  of  the  need  of  such  an  in- 
stitution and  of  what  had  been  done  for  the  uplift 
of  the  natives. 

Many  years  the  above-mentioned  Scotch  Society 
has  also  done  good  work  in  Natal,  as  well  as  in  its 
very  large  and  interesting  mission  field  at  Lake 
Nyassa,  which  has  extensive  industrial  and  evange- 
listic opportunity  for  usefulness. 

Distant  tribes  have  been  reached  from  there, 
among  them  the  Ngoni,  more  than  two  hundred  miles 
from  the  Lake.  It  is  a  large  tribe  of  Zulu  origin, 
and  a  very  interesting  people ;  but  scarcely  heard  of 
forty  years  ago.  It  is  about  thirty-five  years  since 
the  missionaries  first  went  to  them  from  Nyassa. 
A  powerful  and  cruel  chief  then  ruled  the  Ngoni. 
He  would  not  allow  any  of  his  people  to  be  taught, 
or  influenced  by  the  missionaries.  Had  he  known  of 
their  doing  so,  death  would  have  been  the  penalty. 

The  missionaries  did  not  go  away.  Secretly,  late 
at  night,  three  men  came  and  begged  to  be  told  of 
the  white  man's  God.  Night  after  night  they  con- 
tinued to  come  and  learned  to  read  the  New  Testa- 
ment.   After  about  three  years,  the  tyrannical  chief 


RETURN  TO  AMERICA  271 

was  deposed  and  more  kindly  rulers  took  his  place. 
Then  the  people  flocked  to  the  missionaries  to  be 
taught.  Now  thousands  of  those  wild  Ngoni  have 
become  Christians.  Several  years  ago  there  were 
seven  thousand  children  in  the  schools,  and  on  Sun- 
day over  three  hundred  Christians  now  go  out  to  the 
heathen  about  them,  to  teach  and  preach  the  good 
news  of  salvation.  Those  helpers  receive  no  mone- 
tary compensation  whatever. 

The  English  Wesleyans  have  for  a  century  had 
mission-stations  with  many  adherents  in  South 
Africa.  That  society  and  the  Church  of  England,  in 
later  years,  frequently  send  missionaries  to  supervise 
work  for  both  white  people  and  natives.  When 
they  have  done  so  the  divided  strength  has  not  al- 
ways helped  the  better  development  and  extension  of 
their  mission  fields.  To  understand  the  native  and 
become  a  successful  missionary,  one  still  needs  to 
understand  their  language. 

The  Norwegian  missionaries  are  a  fine  class  of 
earnest.  Christian  people,  and  have  done  excellent 
work  in  Zululand  and  Natal,  as  has  the  Berlin  Mis- 
sion. The  German,  the  Cape  General,  with  societies 
before  mentioned,  and  other  smaller  societies,  have 
in  various  ways  and  places  helped  in  the  great  work 
for  the  uplift  and  Christianization  of  the  Zulus. 

Since  1799,  the  London  Missionary  Society  has 
done  much  earnest  mission  work  for  various  tribes 
of  South  Africa.  Dr.  Robert  Moffat  and  his  wife, 
Mary,  of  that  board,  did  a  great  work  in  Bechuana- 
land.  Their  station  was  like  a  beacon-light  in  the 
darkness,  when  our  first  missionaries  arrived  in  the 


272       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

country.  Those  who  went  inland  found  a  haven  of 
rest  there  for  the  ladies,  while  the  gentlemen,  going 
many  miles  farther  on,  built  temporary  houses  in 
which  the  party  could  live,  for  a  time.  The  influence 
of  Dr.  Moffat  and  his  son-in-law,  Dr.  David  Liv- 
ingstone, seems  boundless,  when  one  thinks  of  what 
they  have  done  for  Africa. 

In  Rhodesia,  where  Cecil  Rhodes  lies  buried,  the 
former  noted  cruel  chief  of  that  land,  Lobengulu, 
has  died.  He,  his  father,  and  grandfather  before 
him,  opposed  Christianity  and  would  not  receive  mis- 
sionaries. Cetewayo  also,  as  before  stated,  has  passed 
on.  He  was  the  last  of  a  noted  line  of  Zulu  warrior 
chiefs,  who  cruelly  oppressed  their  people  and 
greatly  hindered  civilization  and  Christianity  in  the 
land.  So  it  is  with  many  others,  who,  Hke  them, 
were  rulers  in  the  last  century.  They  can  no  longer 
massacre  whole  families  if  one  of  their  number  be- 
comes a  Christian,  nor  can  the  Boers,  in  many  places, 
now  beat  to  death,  if  they  choose,  their  heathen 
neighbours  and  servants,  whose  land  and  cattle  they 
have  taken,  while  allowing  them  no  hearing,  against 
a  white  man,  in  a  so-called  court  of  justice. 

In  many  parts  of  the  country  good  and  helpful 
laws  have  been  made,  by  which  the  natives  are  gov- 
erned, and  Christianity  has  reached  a  few  of  the 
dark  places  of  the  great  land  of  Africa,  that  is  so 
large  Christians  of  others  nations  do  not  realize  it 
to  be  five  thousand  miles  long,  and  four  thousand 
four  hundred  broad,  and  that  much,  very  much,  re- 
mains to  be  done. 

In  the  more  civilized  parts,  there  are  yet  many 


RETURN  TO  AMERICA  273 

hard  and  discouraging  circumstances  that  a  native 
has  to  meet,  which  are  unjust  and  demorahzing.  The 
greatest  of  these  is  being  deprived  of  much  of  his 
land  and  at  the  same  time  heavily  taxed,  while  his 
sons  and  daughters  are  tempted  and  too  often  cor- 
rupted by  drink  and  bad  influences.  Besides  all  the 
harm  which  American  rum  has  done  in  the  past 
century  in  many  parts  of  Africa,  with  the  increas- 
ing quantity  that  is  being  poured  into  the  country 
it  is  doing  much  more  now  to  demoralize  the  natives 
and  injure  the  good  work  done  by  the  American  and 
other  missionaries.  Yet  in  many  ways,  as  has  been 
shown,  within  the  last  century,  God  is  remembering 
the  African  people  in  a  very  marked  manner.  He 
has  heard  their  cry  from  the  Congo  to  the  uttermost 
tribes  of  the  land,  where  not  only  the  hands  of  their 
own  chiefs,  but  also  those  of  other  nations,  have 
been  heavy  upon  them. 

Within  the  past  few  years  Mohammedanism  has 
steadily  been  reaching  out  into  every  corner  of 
Africa,  but  natives  influenced  by  Christianity  will 
not,  I  feel  sure,  become  to  any  extent  followers  of 
Mohammed. 

Looking  back  over  less  than  half  a  century,  it  is 
difficult  to  realize  many  of  the  changes  that  have 
come  to  South  Africa,  within  that  time.  Not  only 
the  great  diamond  mines  of  Kimberley  and  other 
places,  with  the  gold  mines  of  Johannesburg,  have 
been  discovered,  but  over  ten  thousand  miles  of  rail- 
road built,  south  of  the  equator,  with  the  Cape  to 
Cairo  road  well  on  its  way. 

A  United  States  of  South  Africa  has  been  formed ; 


274       ZULU  YESTERDAY  AND  TO-DAY 

large  and  modern  cities  built  and  the  older  ones 
improved,  while  the  white  population  has  now  in- 
creased to  one  million. 

All  parts  of  the  land  are  open  to  receive  civiliza- 
tion and  the  Christian  religion.  One  does  not  need 
to  pray  for  open  doors ;  as  some  one  has  said,  "  they 
are  off  the  hinges."  We  cannot  know  what  changes 
the  great  European  war  may  make  in  Africa,  but 
we  wait,  trusting  in  the  living  God  for  that  great 
continent  and  its  people,  as  we  pray  that  the  ter- 
rible turmoil,  now  overshadowing  the  world,  may  not 
blind  the  eyes  of  Christians,  in  any  land,  from  see- 
ing and  remembering  how  large  the  need  and  how 
important  the  present  opportunity  is  for  the  enlight- 
enment of  the  Dark  Continent. 


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